Essential Hotels > England > Kent > Sandwich

Sandwich is a small town on the River Stour. It can be found on the east coast of Kent, and is part of the greater Dover area, close to Canterbury and Dover. Sandwich is a historic small town, which these days is most famous for its golf courses. Sandwich’s origins arise from its port. The natural harbour created by the river made the area a popular landing spot for those travelling across from mainland Europe. Richborough, which under the Romans was known as Rutupiae, was one of the earliest Roman invasion sites in the UK. The remains of the 2000yr old settlement there can still be seen today. The port of Richborough on the River Stour lies under the Roman ruins, and became very significant during World War I. Hidden from view, it held military camps and took arms and soldiers across to France. In World War II it housed refugees fleeing mainland Europe, many of which went on to join the English forces. Today it houses the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

Alongside Dover, Hastings, Hythe and New Romney, Sandwich was once part of the Cinque Ports of Kent. These areas were important for trade and military supplies, providing ships and hands. In return, they were charged no taxes or tolls and were allowed to essentially self-govern. The town still contains a wealth of listed medieval architecture including several pubs dating back to the 1500s. Strangely, Sandwich is no longer a port town. It is now two miles from the coast, due to the narrowing of the river. Sandwich’s most recognisable claim to fame is that the town inadvertently gave its name to the humble lunchtime snack through the actions of the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu. The story goes that he did not want to be interrupted during a card game, so he asked for food in the form of meat between two slices of bread. The 4th Earl also financed the journey of explorer James Cook, who then named the Sandwich Islands after him, although they are better known today as the Hawaiian Islands. Sandwich is a pleasant visitor destination but it is especially popular for its golfing. It has two famous golf courses: Royal St. George and Prince’s, both of which are located where the port used to be. The Royal St. George is an Open Championship course, and Prince’s is a links course and Final Qualifying Course for the Open. The Open Championship is a very exciting time for Sandwich.