Sandwich, Kent facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Sandwich
Coat of arms of the Sandwich Town Council
The 14th-century St Thomas' Hospital
Sandwich
Population	4,985 (2011)
OS grid reference	TR335585
Civil parish	Sandwich
District	Dover
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Sandwich
Postcode district	CT13
Dialling code	01304

Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast

EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Herne Bay and Sandwich
List of places UK England Kent 51°16′29″N 1°20′20″E / 51.27472°N 1.33888°E / 51.27472; 1.33888

Sandwich is a historic town in Kent, south-east England. It sits by the River Stour and has about 5,000 people living there.

Sandwich was once one of the important Cinque Ports (a group of coastal towns that helped protect England). It still has many old medieval buildings. These include old pubs, gates from the town walls, churches, and the White Mill.

Even though it was a big port long ago, Sandwich is now about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the sea. This happened because a channel called the Wantsum Channel disappeared. The old part of the town has been kept just as it was.

Sandwich Bay is home to nature areas and two famous golf courses: Royal St George's and Prince's. The town is also known for its schools and cultural events.

Did you know the word "sandwich" (the food) comes from this town? It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.

What's in a Name?

The name 'Sandwich' first appeared in old English writings around 851 AD. It was called Sondwic or Sandwic. The part -wich comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning a trading place or a fortified spot. So, the name 'Sandwich' means "market town on sandy soil."

A Look Back in Time

The Sandwich Toll Bridge, showing the town's coat of arms

Before Sandwich became a famous port, there was an old Saxon town called Stonar nearby. It was very important but disappeared in the 1300s. The ruins of a large Roman fort called Richborough are also close by. This was where the Romans landed when they invaded Britain in 43 AD.

In 1028, King Canute gave permission for monks to run a ferry across the river and collect money. Later, in 1194, Richard the Lionheart (a famous English king) landed back in Sandwich after being held prisoner. In 1216, a French prince landed here to fight against King John. A big sea battle, the Battle of Sandwich, happened off the coast in 1217.

The Fisher Gate

The Fisher Gate, which stands by the quay, was built in 1384. It's the only original medieval town gate left and is a very important old building. The nearby Barbican also dates from the 1300s. It was used as a toll house at the end of the bridge over the River Stour.

On August 28, 1457, French soldiers attacked Sandwich. They burned much of the town and even killed the mayor, John Drury. Because of this sad event, the Mayor of Sandwich still wears a black robe today to remember what happened.

New Settlers and Skills

Sandwich played a big part in the early history of the Huguenots in Kent. These were people who came from countries like Flanders (modern-day Belgium) to escape religious persecution. Queen Elizabeth I allowed them to settle in Sandwich in 1561.

Many Flemish (from Flanders) and Walloon (from Wallonia, also in Belgium) exiles moved to Sandwich. They brought new skills with them, like market gardening. They were the first to grow celery in England, which was already popular in Flanders. These settlers also brought their building styles, which you can still see in some parts of the town, like the distinctive tower of St Peter's Church. They also helped the silk industry grow in Kent.

Town Symbols

The coat of arms of Sandwich is very old and special. It shows three half-lions (from the Royal Arms of England) joined with three half-ships (from the Arms of the Cinque Ports). This design shows how the town was connected to both the King and the important group of Cinque Ports.

The title Earl of Sandwich was created in 1660 for a famous naval leader, Sir Edward Montagu.

Later History

A map of Sandwich from 1945

In 1759, Thomas Paine, a famous writer and thinker, lived in Sandwich. His house is still there today.

In 1912, a famous architect named Edwin Lutyens built a beautiful house called The Salutation in the Queen Anne style. Its gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll. During World War I, Sandwich was an important place for moving troops to the battlefields.

In 2014, an original copy of the Magna Carta (a very important historical document about rights) from 1300 was found in Sandwich. It was found with another important document called the Charter of the Forest. These documents are now on display at the Sandwich Guildhall Museum.

How Sandwich is Run

Sandwich Guildhall

The town has a local council made up of sixteen councillors. This council looks after local issues like setting a budget, checking building plans, and working with the police on safety and traffic. They also help maintain local facilities and roads.

Sandwich is part of the Dover District. The district council handles things like planning permission, local roads, rubbish collection, parks, and tourism.

Kent County Council is in charge of bigger services like education, libraries, main roads, public transport, police, and fire services.

Town Friends Around the World

Sandwich is twinned with several towns in other countries. This means they have special friendly relationships and often visit each other.

Sandwich, Massachusetts in the United States
Honfleur in France
Ronse in Belgium
Sonsbeck in Germany

Nature and Green Spaces

Boats on the River Stour at Sandwich

Near Sandwich, there's the Monk's Wall nature reserve and a bird observatory at Sandwich Bay. This area is a great home for wild ducks and other wildlife in its wetland habitat. The reserve was opened in 2000 by famous bird-watcher Bill Oddie. The land here was once reclaimed from the river and sea by monks centuries ago.

There's also a 6-hectare (15-acre) nature reserve called Gazen Salts.

Sandwich is at the southern end of Pegwell Bay, which has a large nature reserve. It's known for its migrating birds and different seashore habitats like mudflats and salt marshes.

Local Jobs

For many years, the company Pfizer UK had a large research center near Sandwich. It employed thousands of people. In 2011, Pfizer announced it would close most of its research facility. However, the UK Government stepped in to create an 'Enterprise Zone' on the site. This area is now a business park called Discovery Park Enterprise Zone, which helps create new jobs.

Important Buildings and Places

The Barbican

The Sandwich Guildhall, in the town square, was built in 1579. It's a beautiful old building. The courtroom inside is still used for town events, like choosing the mayor, and you can even hire it for weddings.

There are several old pubs in Sandwich. The Admiral Owen is a 15th-century timber-framed building. The Crispin Inn, built in the 1500s, is also very old. The Bell Hotel, which has been on the quay since the 1300s, was rebuilt in the 1700s and 1800s.

These pubs are close to The Barbican, built in the late 1300s. It has two round towers and a narrow road passing through them. The Sandwich Toll Bridge was built in 1773. It used to have a special lifting platform for boats.

Windmills

White Mill

Sandwich has had many windmills over the centuries. The White Mill is the only one still standing. It was built in 1760 and used wind power until 1929. Today, it has been restored and is a museum where you can learn about local history and folk traditions.

Museum

The Sandwich Guildhall Museum has original copies of the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest from 1300. These are incredibly important historical documents! The museum also shows the history of Sandwich with Roman items, information about famous people, and many old and new artifacts. Entry is free, and you can see the Guildhall's Tudor courtroom. The museum was updated in 2017.

Next to the museum are the Sandwich Guildhall Archives. This is where maps, photos, old newspapers, and other historical records about Sandwich are kept. You can visit by making an appointment.

A Funny Signpost

A fingerpost pointing towards the village of Ham and the town of Sandwich

There's a village nearby called Ham. About three miles from Sandwich, there's a signpost that points to both Ham and Sandwich. So, it reads "Ham Sandwich" – a fun little joke!

Getting Around

Sandwich has its own Sandwich railway station. The town is also connected by the A256 road, which links it to other towns like Thanet and Dover. You can also reach Sandwich from Canterbury using the A257.

Local buses run by Stagecoach connect Sandwich to other towns in East Kent.

Churches and Hospitals

St Peter's Church, now redundant

St Bartholomew's Chapel was restored in the 1800s. Nearby are two old religious hospitals, which were places that cared for the poor. St Bart's Hospital dates back to around 1190, and St Thomas's Hospital was built in the 1300s.

The Church of St Peter has parts that are very old, from the early 1200s. In 1661, the top of its central tower fell down. The main church for the area is St. Clement, which has a tower from the late 1100s. St Mary's Church also has very old features and was built where a convent once stood.

Sports in Sandwich

Sandwich is famous for its two world-class golf courses: Royal St George's and Prince's. Royal St George's often hosts The Open Championship, one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. Prince's also hosted The Open Championship in 1932.

Learning in Sandwich

Sandwich has four schools for different age groups: Sandwich Infants (ages 4-8), Sandwich Juniors (ages 8-11), Sir Roger Manwood's School (ages 11-18), and Sandwich Technology School (ages 11-18).

Culture and Fun

The Story of the Sandwich (Food)

The town of Sandwich is famous for giving its name to the food item we all know and love! The story goes that John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who lived in the 1700s, invented it. He loved to gamble and didn't want to leave the gaming table for meals. So, he asked his servant to bring him meat between two pieces of bread. Others started ordering "the same as Sandwich!" and that's how the name stuck.

Some historians think he might have eaten his "sandwich" at his desk while working on important navy or political matters, rather than just gambling. Either way, the idea of putting food between bread became very popular!

Sandwich Festival

Every year in late August, Sandwich holds an annual festival. Many fun events take place, like European markets, motorcycle gatherings, a boat parade on The Quay, a street Barn Dance, concerts, and a vintage car show. The festival usually lasts for eight days.

News and Radio

Sandwich has local newspapers like the Deal and Sandwich Express and the East Kent Mercury. There are also free newspapers like the Dover Extra.

For radio, you can listen to KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country and KMFM Thanet. Sandwich is also covered by a community radio station called DCR 104.9FM Dover Community Radio, which started broadcasting in 2022.