A Meander Through the Medieval Streets of Sandwich, Sandwich, England

Remnants of the once prosperous port of Sandwich in Kent still line its quay on the River Stour. Such was its importance that it was one of the original (and oldest) of the five Cinque Ports

Visitors to the town still cross the old toll bridge and drive through the Barbican Gate before threading their way along the narrow streets still lined with half-timbered buildings. The development of Sandwich was arrested when its river silted up and trading died down. Today only small pleasure boats and the river bus can be seen working on its waters. Beyond the river lies one of the best preserved medieval towns in England. The Guildhall is a prominent building in this small Kentish town and this was my first stop.

The town’s original Guildhall occupied what is now the cemetery of St Peter’s Church. Its ‘new’ Guildhall was built in 1579 but has been extended several times since then. Today this building performs four functions. It is the seat of the Town Council, it is a venue for weddings and other private functions, it houses the Tourist Information Office and it is a museum. This small museum relates the history of the town and includes some interesting historical artefacts. These include the twelfth century moot-horn that was used to bring the townspeople together and to sound the alarm during the French raids in the fifteenth century. For centuries the land around the Guildhall was used as a cattle market and was one of the busiest animal and general markets in East Kent. Now it is a large Pay and Display car park (free on Sundays). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).