SUMMARY OF DISPLAY TOPICS

The Displays in this Museum are intended to inform visitors of some of the many contributions which this ancient Cinque Port of Sandwich has made to the history of this country from early medieval times.

CINQUE PORTS. This panel illustrates the vital importance of the association of South-East Coast Ports for the defence of the country against the many invaders of ancient times.

COURTS & CORONATIONS. Details of some of the privileges and Courts which made the Cinque Ports such a power in the development of England as a nation.

SANDWICH & ITS LIMBS. The unique story is told of the way that Sandwich, alone of the Cinque Ports, has maintained its formal links with the small communities who, in the past, acknowledged Sandwich as their Head Port and thus obtained the benefits of the Cinque Port Charters.

PORT, HAVEN & QUAYSIDE. These two panels illustrate the importance of Sandwich as a port - at one time 'the second port in all England'. Only London was of greater importance in medieval times.

SEA BATTLES. Details are given of two of the major battles, some 380 years apart, which were important to the history of the town.

FERRIES & BRIDGES. From a Charter of 1023 granting the profits of the ferry across the River Stour to the monks of Christchurch, Canterbury, to the building of the first bridge across the river in 1759, this panel shows the importance of these links with the Isle of Thanet throughout the ages. Apart from the modern By-Pass, the next river crossing to Thanet is over half-way to Canterbury.

RICHBOROUGH FORT. Although inhabited by the Romans throughout their four centuries of occupation of these islands, really has no part in the history of Sandwich, other than its importance to the immediate area.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT. Here the panels record some of the brutal punishments meted out to wrong-doers over the centuries.

COMMERCE. Many trades and guilds contributed to the prosperity of the town at all periods of its history. A few individuals, with their tools, are depicted here, together with notes of two people who recorded - one in a history of the town in the 18th Century, and one a superb photographer, who left his own record of Victorian Sandwich in a collection of some 3000 glass plate negatives.

STRANGERS. Sandwich has frequently opened its doors to refugees who, in return, have added greatly to the trade and culture of the town. Many of the buildings still to be seen in the streets of Sandwich bear a definitely Dutch influence.

WEIGHTS & MEASURES. Until 1878, Sandwich controlled the standards of weights and measures used by the traders of the town, heavily fining any transgressors.

SANDWICH USA. The three Sandwiches in the United States of America are here depicted in brief. The Sandwich in Massachusetts is the oldest, having received its Grant in 1637 - a mere seventeen years after the Pilgrim Fathers had founded their 'New England' from the Mayflower.

THOMAS PAINE. A radical of the 18th Century, Paine resided in Sandwich only for a short while before embarking upon a career as a revolutionary writer and activist which led him to take a leading part in the formation of the United States of America.

SANDWICH AT WAR. Sandwich has been in the forefront of both naval and military expeditions throughout the centuries. This section displays a few artifacts which reflect this involvement.

HOSPITALS. From its very early days, Sandwich has always cared for both its own poor, and made provision, also, for travellers and pilgrims. These panels give a brief history of the three Hospitals, founded between 1170 and 1392. St Bartholomew's Hospital still celebrates its Feast on St Bartholomew's Day with a Patronal Service and a distribution of buns.

CHURCHES. The three churches of St Clement, St Peter & St Mary are all shewn here, together with the United Reformed Church. Sandwich was always a stronghold for Non-Conformists and supported their right to worship in their own way. The Roman Catholic Church of St Andrew was established in Sandwich only after the First World War.

TROPHIES, PLATE & SEALS. This cabinet holds various municipal seals, trophies etc., together with the United Reformed Church & St Bartholomew's Chapel plate. There is also a unique collection of silver pennies found buried in front of the altar in St Bartholomew's Chapel. Of note too are the mazer cup of Elizabethan date, the large cup presented by the town to HMS Sandwich in 1929, when she was commissioned, and two magnificent caskets presented to Alderman & Mrs Hughes on their admission as Honorary Freemen to the Town.

A CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS. Finally there is a list of some of the dates and events which are worthy of note in the development of the Town as the ANCIENT TOWN & PORT of SANDWICH.