Editing Sandwich, Kent (section)

==History==
[[File:Sandwich, town bridge (detail) - geograph.org.uk - 650895.jpg|thumb|The [[Sandwich Toll Bridge]], showing the town's coat of arms]]
Before Sandwich became a [[Cinque Port]], the ancient [[Saxon]] town of Stonar on the bank of the [[Wantsum Channel|Wantsum estuary]] (on the opposite side of the mouth of the [[River Stour, Kent|River Stour]]), was already well established. It remained a place of considerable importance but it disappeared almost without trace in the 14th century. The ruins of the major Roman fort of [[Richborough]] are close by. It was the landing place of the [[Roman invasion of Britain]] in AD 43.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7648033.stm |title=Dig uncovers Roman invasion coast |work=[[BBC News Online]] |date=2 October 2008 |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-date=1 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101125733/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7648033.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>  In 2008, an archaeological dig proved that this was a defensive site of a Roman beachhead, protecting 700 metres of the coast.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/roman-invasion-beach-found-in-kent-949717.html |title=Roman invasion beach found in Kent: Archaeologists unearth landing point of legions – only now it's two miles from the coast |work=[[The Independent]] |date=2 October 2008 |access-date=4 December 2017 |archive-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213050556/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/roman-invasion-beach-found-in-kent-949717.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1028 King [[Canute]] ({{circa|995}}–1035) granted a charter to the monks of [[Christ Church, Canterbury]], to operate a ferry across the river and collect tolls. In 1192, returning from the [[Third Crusade]], [[Richard I|Richard the Lionheart]] was jailed by the Holy Roman Emperor [[Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry VI]]. Henry released Richard in February 1194. On 13 March 1194, Richard landed at the port of Sandwich and came back to England.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Richard I |last=Gillingham |first=John |year=2000 |isbn=0300094043 |page=251 |publisher=Yale University Press }}</ref> In 1216, Prince [[Louis VIII of France|Louis of France]] landed at Sandwich in support of the [[First Barons' War]] against [[John, King of England|King John]]. The [[Battle of Sandwich (1217)|Battle of Sandwich]] occurred just off the coast in 1217.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/the-sun-the-wind-and-the-battle-of-sandwich-9cc5c0ssh|title=The sun, the wind and the Battle of Sandwich|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=24 August 2017|access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> By 1295, Sandwich was a borough within the [[Lathe of St. Augustine]].

[[File:Fishergate, Sandwich - geograph.org.uk - 1569.jpg|thumb|left|The Fisher Gate]]
The Fisher Gate on the quay dates from 1384, and has been scheduled as an [[Scheduled Ancient Monument|Ancient Monument]]. It is the only one of the original medieval town gates to survive. It is a [[Grade I listed]] building.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1069601 |desc=Fisher Gate |access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref> The nearby [[Barbican]] dates from the 14th century and stands at the end of the bridge over the [[River Stour, Kent|River Stour]] where it was used as a [[toll house]].<ref>{{NHLE |num=1069655 |desc=The Barbican |access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref>

On 28 August 1457, the French took advantage of [[Wars of the Roses|political instability in England]] by sending a raiding party to Kent, burning much of Sandwich to the ground.<ref name=CBH>{{cite book |last1=Palmer |first1=Alan |last2=Palmer |first2=Veronica |year=1992 |title=The Chronology of British History |publisher=Century Ltd |location=London |pages=125–128 |isbn=0-7126-5616-2 }}</ref> A force of around 4,000 men from [[Honfleur]], under the command of [[Pierre de Brézé]], [[Marshal of France]], came ashore to pillage the town, in the process murdering the mayor, John Drury. It thereafter became an established tradition, which survives to this day, that the Mayor of Sandwich wears a black robe in mourning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/town_history/mayors.htm|title=Mayors|work=Open Sandwich|access-date=2023-11-22}}</ref>

Sandwich was a key town in the early [[History of the Huguenots in Kent#Return and settlement at Sandwich|history of the Huguenots in Kent]]. The town gained significantly from the skills brought to the town by many [[Flanders|Flemish]] settlers, who were granted the right to settle by [[letters patent]] from [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], dated 6 July 1561.<ref>F.W. Cross, "History of the Walloon and Huguenot Church at Canterbury." In: ''Publications of the Huguenot Society of London'', 15 (1898), p. 13.</ref> Sandwich was the only town in England that housed more so-called "strangers" than native Englishmen in the 16th century. Historian Marcel Backhouse estimated there were at least 2,400 Flemish and 500 [[Wallonia|Walloon]] exiles living in Sandwich at the time.<ref>M. Backhouse, ''The Flemish and Walloon Communities at Sandwich during the Reign of Elizabeth I (1561–1603)'', Brussels: Paleis der Academieën, 1995, pp. 32–34.</ref> These settlers brought with them techniques of market gardening, and were responsible for growing the first English [[celery]], which was already - and still is - very popular in Flanders. Elizabeth I granted 25 Flemish families permission to live in Sandwich, and St Peter became the "Stranger's Church" in 1564 when the plague came to the town, in an effort to halt the spread of the disease. The 1661 tower collapse was repaired by the Flemish community, and the distinctive tower reflects their work. The [[Huguenot]] refugees also brought over Flemish architectural techniques, that are now as much a part of Kent as the thatched cottage. One can still see the difference between the English (lower section) and Flemish (upper section) of the tower. In addition techniques of [[silk]] manufacture were imported, enhancing the Kent cloth industry.

The coat of arms of Sandwich is blazoned ''Per pale Gules and Azure three demi-Lions passant guardant in pale Or conjoined with as many sterns of demi-Ships Argent'';<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/weald_downs.html |title=Sandwich Town Council |work=Civic Heraldry of England |access-date=29 September 2014 |archive-date=3 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203192921/http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/weald_downs.html |url-status=live }}</ref> see photo. It is one of the earliest heraldic examples of [[dimidiation]], an early method of combining two different coats of arms: in this case the [[Royal Arms of England]] (1198–1340), ''Gules three lions passant guardant Or langued and armed Azure'', and the Arms of the Cinque Ports, ''Azure three ships Or''. The title [[Earl of Sandwich]] was created in 1660 for the prominent naval commander Admiral [[Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich|Sir Edward Montagu]] (1625–72).

[[File:Sandwich kent map1945.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Sandwich from 1945]]
In 1759, [[Thomas Paine]] (1737–1809) had his home and shop in a house at 20 New Street.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/town_history/scrapbook/thomas_paine.htm |title=Thomas Paine |work=Sandwich People & History |publisher=Open Sandwich |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-date=11 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411080111/http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/town_history/scrapbook/thomas_paine.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The house is now marked with a plaque and is a listed building.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1069586 |desc=20 and 22 New Street |access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref>

In 1912 Sir [[Edwin Lutyens]] (1869–1944) built [[The Salutation, Sandwich|The Salutation]] in [[Queen Anne style architecture|Queen Anne style]]. The gardens were laid out by [[Gertrude Jekyll]].<ref>{{NHLE |num=1069643 |desc=The Salutation |access-date=2 April 2010}}</ref> In [[World War I]], Sandwich was important as a transit location for troops heading to [[Ypres]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/history_of_sandwich.htm |title=Sandwich History: Introduction |work=Open Sandwich — History of Sandwich |access-date=29 September 2014 |archive-date=17 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817074620/http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/history_of_sandwich.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1980 [[Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington|Jean Barker]] became, in the full recitation of her life peerage, Baroness Trumpington, of Sandwich in the County of Kent.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48091|date=7 February 1980|page=1977}}</ref> In 2014 an original copy of [[Magna Carta]], issued in 1300, was found together with a copy of the [[Charter of the Forest]]. It was only the second time in history that the two documents have been found together.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/uk-and-ireland/66399757/how-a-longlost-magna-carta-was-found-in-a-british-town |title=How a long-lost Magna Carta was found in a British town |date=19 February 2015 |access-date=20 February 2015 |archive-date=21 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321231417/http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/uk-and-ireland/66399757/how-a-longlost-magna-carta-was-found-in-a-british-town |url-status=live }}</ref> They are now displayed alongside other historical artefacts in the [[Sandwich Guildhall|Sandwich Guildhall Museum]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.sandwichtowncouncil.gov.uk/guildhall/museum.htm|title=Sandwich Town Council: The Guildhall Museum|website=www.sandwichtowncouncil.gov.uk|access-date=31 October 2019|archive-date=23 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923071625/https://www.sandwichtowncouncil.gov.uk/guildhall/museum.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>