Sandwich

Sandwich is one of England's most completely preserved medieval towns, a former Cinque Port on the River Stour whose narrow streets of timber-framed houses have barely changed in outline since the sea began retreating from its gates in the sixteenth century. Once among the busiest harbours in the country, sending ships and soldiers across the Channel and receiving Flemish weavers who settled and built much of the town seen today, Sandwich lost its access to open water as the river silted, leaving behind a town too poor to redevelop and, centuries later, too well preserved to spoil.

That accident of history is now Sandwich's great asset. Strand Street holds the longest continuous run of medieval timber-framed buildings in the country, leaning gently over the pavement in a jumble of gables and jettied upper floors, while the Guildhall, three surviving town gates and long stretches of the old earthwork walls trace the outline of the fortified town the French raided repeatedly during the Hundred Years' War. The River Stour still curls around the town's edge, crossed by a toll bridge and overlooked by pubs and gardens rather than warehouses, and beyond the walls the land opens out into golf links, dunes and the wide, flat expanse of Sandwich and Pegwell Bays.

Modern Sandwich is a quiet, unshowy sort of place, a working market town rather than a heritage theme park, with independent shops, a weekly market and a strong local food scene tucked in among the historic fabric. It draws golfers heading for Royal St George's and Prince's, birdwatchers following the Sandwich Bay reserves, and increasing numbers of day-trippers and short-break visitors from Canterbury, Deal and the Kent coast, all discovering a town that has kept its medieval bones almost entirely intact.

Top things to do in Sandwich

Sandwich rewards slow exploration on foot, but there is a solid list of sights to build a visit around.

• Sandwich Guildhall Museum occupies the town's Elizabethan Guildhall and tells the story of the Cinque Ports through civic treasures, courtroom relics and a copy of the town's own 1300 Magna Carta and Charter of the Forest.
• The Barbican and Fisher Gate are the best surviving of Sandwich's medieval town gates, the Fisher Gate dating from 1384 as the last original water gate left standing, guarding the approach to the quay.
• St Peter's Church, a Norman-era church with a distinctive tower, can be climbed for panoramic views across the rooftops, the river and out towards the dunes.
• Strand Street itself is worth simply walking end to end, taking in the longest unbroken run of ancient timber-framed buildings in England, leaning and jettied above the narrow pavement.
• Richborough Roman Fort, a couple of miles outside town, marks the site of the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 and includes a rebuilt timber gateway, excavated fort walls and a small museum of finds.
• The Salutation Gardens, laid out by Gertrude Jekyll around Sir Edwin Lutyens' Grade I listed house, are nearly four acres of walled and woodland garden open to visitors for much of the year.
• White Mill Rural Heritage Centre preserves a working 1760s smock windmill along with a recreated blacksmith's and wheelwright's workshop on the edge of town.
• Sandwich Bay and Pegwell Bay offer wide sandy beaches, dunes and important bird reserves, with Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory a serious draw for birdwatchers following migration along the Kent coast.

Getting to Sandwich

Sandwich has its own railway station on the Kent Coast line, with regular services to Ramsgate, Margate and Dover in one direction and towards Canterbury, Faversham and London in the other. Direct or one-change trains run from London St Pancras International via the high-speed line, typically taking around an hour and a half to Sandwich, with slower services from London Victoria and Charing Cross taking roughly two hours. By road, the town sits just off the A256, linked to the A2 and M2 towards London and to the A299 Thanet Way for the northern Kent coast; the drive from central London takes around two hours depending on traffic through Dover or Canterbury. Parking within the old town is limited to small pay-and-display car parks near the quay and the Guildhall, with a larger car park by the leisure centre a short walk from the centre; spaces can be tight on market days and in peak summer season.

Best time to visit Sandwich

Spring brings the Salutation Gardens into bloom and returning migrant birds to the bay reserves, with mild weather and thinner crowds making it a good season for unhurried walking around the town walls. Summer is the busiest time, when the beaches at Sandwich Bay fill up, the golf courses are at their most in demand, and the town's pubs spill out onto riverside terraces, so booking accommodation well ahead is wise. Autumn suits those who prefer a quieter pace, with golden light over the marshes, the bird reserves picking up again with returning waders and wildfowl, and local food events making the most of the harvest. Winter is properly quiet, with open fires in the old pubs, short misty walks along the Stour, and a stripped-back version of the town that appeals to those who like their history without the crowds.

Where to stay in Sandwich

The town centre, around Strand Street, Delf Street and the Guildhall, puts guests within a few minutes' walk of everything Sandwich has to offer and suits anyone without a car or keen to soak up the medieval streets after dark. Staying close to the quay and the River Stour brings the added appeal of riverside dining and views of the toll bridge, while a base near the railway station on the edge of the centre suits visitors arriving by train who want a short walk with luggage. Those visiting for golf at Royal St George's or Prince's often look towards Sandwich Bay itself, while a handful of characterful country houses in villages such as Ash, a few miles inland, suit visitors who want a quieter, rural evening after a day exploring the town and coast.

Food and drink in Sandwich

Sandwich's food scene leans on good pub cooking and Kentish produce rather than showy fine dining, with riverside pubs such as the Bell Hotel's bar and terrace making the most of views over the Stour. The Crispin Inn on the High Street claims a particular piece of food history, serving its own take on the sandwich in the town credited with giving the snack its name, while the George and Dragon and several other historic inns serve real ale and traditional pub fare in beamed, centuries-old rooms. Independent cafes such as Goats That Dance serve proper coffee and cake to visitors resting between sights, and a handful of small Italian and bistro-style restaurants add some variety to the town's traditional pub offering. A weekly market brings local produce, fish and baked goods into the town centre, and the surrounding countryside and coast supply much of what appears on menus, from Stour Valley game to fish landed further down the coast.