The History of Sandwich

Introduction

Considering that Sandwich has existed since at least 664AD, was one of the first towns in England to have a Mayor and borough status (before 1213AD) and was for several centuries the largest and most important port in England, it is surprising that its history remains largely unwritten. The earliest "history" of the town is "Collections for an History of Sandwich in Kent" by Dr. William Boys, published in 1792. As its title indicates, this admirable work of scholarship is not a finished history, but rather a set of research papers into various aspects of the town's history. It is, however, a major source for all subsequent works and should be consulted by all serious students. Copies are mainly in private hands, although it is available in local reference libraries. Occasionally copies surface in the antiquarian book trade at prices ranging from £800 to £1500, depending upon quality and completeness. In 1954 Dorothy Gardiner published "Historic Haven: the story of Sandwich" which dealt mainly with the decline of the port, and has long been out of print. The most recent work is "The History of Sandwich" by Helen Bentwich, published in 1971 and currently available in reprint from Sandwich Local History Society. Additionally, this group publishes a range of booklets dealing with specific aspects of the history of Sandwich which are highly recommendable. Historical and Archaeological research is currently shedding new light on the history of the town.

As might be expected, modern research is starting to show inaccuracies in the published works, and it is hoped that an updated History can be assembled in the future. It is not, however, the aim here to do more than provide a brief and general history for the interested browser. With that aim in mind the History of Sandwich will be dealt with under three main headings:

1. The period up to the Domesday Survey, representing the growth of the town and port
2. The medieval period, during which Sandwich reached its zenith.
3. The post medieval period, during which the town slowly declined.

Because an understanding of the importance and customs of Sandwich depends upon an understanding of the nature of the Confederation of Cinque Ports, there will be a fourth section devoted to that subject. Finally, as an aid to understanding the nature of a premier port in the middle ages, a fifth section will reproduce, in full, the Customal of 1301, written by the then Town Clerk, Adam Champneys. This is a record of the rights, duties traditions and customs of the town, written to defend the traditions against future demands from the king, put into writing because of, in Champneys words, "the futility of memory and the uncertainty of tradition."

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