11 Things to Do in Sandwich: A local’s guide to this beautiful historic town

My very first trip to Sandwich was about 20 years ago, when we were walking all the way from Deal and got caught in a sudden summer storm right outside the town! Because of that downpour, my first memories of Sandwich are actually rushing into a local shop to buy a pair of dry walking socks!

If the name Sandwich feels familiar, that’s because the sandwich we eat today was officially named right here in 1762 after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who famously demanded meat to be served between two slices of bread so he wouldn’t have to leave his gambling table.

Back in the Middle Ages, Sandwich was actually one of the important Cinque Ports in Kent, dealing with giant ships and wealthy merchants. Today, the sea has receded by about two miles, leaving behind an incredibly old town full of twisting streets, timber-framed houses and some brilliant local walking paths that I love exploring.

1. The Barbican & Fisher Gate

The Fisher Gate dates all the way back to 1384, and it is fascinating because it is the only remaining original medieval water gate left in town. If you walk across the bridge, you’ll see the Barbican, which was built later during the reign of King Henry VIII. It served as a fortified toll house, and it looks exactly like something out of a storybook with its black-and-white chequered stone patterns.

Saying that, it wasn’t just built to look pretty; it was a serious checkpoint to defend against French invaders who kept raiding the Kent coast. I really like coming down here early in the morning when the river is completely calm. After you have taken a look at the ancient stonework, a great practical tip is to hop straight onto the Saxon Shore Way path right next to the gate. It is a wonderful walking route that leads you along the riverbanks through marshes towards the sea, where you can watch the resident seals basking on the mudbanks if you are lucky!

• Location: Quay Lane / The Quay, Sandwich CT13 9EF
• Opening Times: Accessible 24 hours a day to view from the outside.
• Tickets: Completely free.

2. Guildhall Museum

Right in the centre of the town marketplace is the beautiful Guildhall, which was built in 1579. Inside, they have a brilliant museum that holds some super cool historical treasures, including copy of the 1300 Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest.

You also learn about the local history, including about one old town law where dishonest traders were punished by being thrown straight into the River Stour, while convicted murderers were buried alive at the local execution site called Thieves’ Downs!

• Location: Cattle Market, Sandwich CT13 9AH
• Opening Times: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
• Tickets: Adult tickets are £5.00, concessions are £3.50, and children under 16 go free.

3. St Peter’s Church & Tower Views

If you want the absolute best view of the entire area, you have to climb to the top of St Peter’s Church. The building itself is incredibly old, with parts of it dating back to the Norman conquest. It has a super tall tower that you can climb via a narrow, winding spiral staircase. It is a bit of a squeeze, but the effort is completely worth it when you step out onto the roof.

From the top, you get a stunning, panoramic view across the rooftops of Sandwich, the winding River Stour, and all the way out to the coastal sand dunes. You can clearly see how the old town wall ditch used to loop around the streets. Whilst you are there, take a stroll through the churchyard and look for the tomb of Thomas de Sandwich a wealthy medieval merchant who left a massive fortune to the town.

• Location: Market Street, Sandwich CT13 9DA
• Opening Times: Daily from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Tower climbing depends on weather conditions).
• Tickets: Entry to the church is free; climbing the tower costs £3.50 for adults and £2.00 for children.

4. Sandwich Quay

Back in the Middle Ages, this open stretch of water would have been absolutely packed with large merchant ships trading with the continent, but today it has a much more peaceful, quiet atmosphere. It is a wonderful place for a gentle walk and I love visiting in the late afternoon when the sun starts to go down and reflects off the water.

My absolute favourite local tip for a great day out with friends is to find a spot at one of the historic pubs right on the waterfront. You can sit outside, watch the local riverboats glide past, and enjoy a delicious wood-fired pizza or a local Kentish ale.

• Location: The Quay, Sandwich CT13 9EN
• Opening Times: Accessible 24 hours a day.
• Tickets: Completely free.

5. Sandwich Medieval Centre

You’ll find this absolutely brilliant living history museum sitting right on the slipway by the town quay. It is housed in a fantastic wooden boatyard building that was actually constructed using original medieval techniques back in 2016.

Inside you will find a reconstruction of a full-scale medieval cog warship. Back during the Hundred Years’ War, Sandwich was an important base for troops and the river would have been completely packed with these single-masted vessels. To see modern craftsmen shaping the timber windlasses and anchors by hand is just super cool.

• Location: The Quay, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9EN
• Opening Times: April to October, Thursday to Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Winter hours vary, usually weekends 11:00 am – 3:00 pm).
• Tickets: Completely free to enter, though donations to the charitable trust are highly appreciated to help fund the ship project.

6. Monks Wall & Gazen Salts Nature Reserve

If you walk just a little bit south of the town, you’ll find this amazing, quiet nature reserve that is managed by the local wildlife trust. It is a fascinating landscape made up of deep drainage ditches, reedbeds, and lush marsh conservation fields.

It might sound like a simple marsh, but it is actually a haven for migrating birds and quite often you can spot some incredibly rare species if you bring a pair of binoculars along. Monks Wall and the Gazen Salts (closer to the Sandwich town) are one of the smaller nature nature reserves in Kent, but they are definitely worth seeing. If you are walking from Sandwich to Richborough Fort you can see them on the way there.

• Location: Off Highway Wall / Dover Road, Sandwich CT13 0AA
• Opening Times: Open 24 hours a day, year-round.
• Tickets: Completely free.

7. St Clement’s Church

While there has been a place of worship here for over a thousand years, even King Edward the Confessor came here to pray back in 1050, much of the stunning stone structure you see today comes from a 12th-century rebuilding.

The church’s magnificent central Norman tower ranks as one of the finest pieces of Norman architecture in the entire south of England. It is incredibly grand, covered in three beautiful tiers of blind arcading and intricately carved pillars showing off strange, grotesque beasts and swirling foliage.

Until 1683, it was the strict tradition that the Mayors of Sandwich were officially elected right inside St Clement’s Church. The town took this so seriously that if anyone dared to refuse the mayoral honour, the local townsfolk legally had the right to march over and burn their house down! Needless to say, nobody ever turned the job down.

• Location: Church Street St Clement, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9EH
• Opening Times: Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm between May and September, and 11:00 am to 3:00 pm from October to April.
• Tickets: Completely free to enter and explore.

8. St Mary’s Arts Centre

St.Mary’s is an incredibly old building with a fascinating history. It was originally St Mary’s Church, one of the three great medieval parish churches of Sandwich. Before the church, in the 7th century, convent was founded here, but the building was completely destroyed by French raiders in 1217.

The church tower completely collapsed during an earthquake in 1667 and was also badly damaged by lightning in 1709.

In the 1970s, the church it was saved from years of neglect and transformed into a brilliant community arts centre.

Check the centre’s event board before you head down to Sandwich, as catching an acoustic concert or an art exhibition under that beautiful medieval roof is a truly wonderful experience.

• Location: Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9HN
• Opening Times: Open for scheduled events, workshops, and exhibitions (check their local listings for specific opening hours).
• Tickets: Entry for general viewing is usually free, though specific concerts, plays, and evening events require ticket purchases.

9. Richborough Roman Fort

Richborough Roman Fort is where the Roman invasion of Britain officially started in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius. It might look like a collection of stone ruins in a field now, but this site was the gateway to Britannia for hundreds of years. The site was transformed from a bustling military port town into a large Saxon Shore fort as the Roman Empire began to collapse.

They have recently rebuilt a super cool, full-scale Roman timber gateway and rampart that you can actually climb up. There is also a small museum with archeological finds and you can take an audio guide around the site to listen to all the fastinating history.

• Location: Richborough Road, Sandwich CT13 9JW
• Opening Times: Daily from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm during spring and summer.
• Tickets: English Heritage members go free. Standard adult tickets are £10.00, children are £6.00.

10. White Mill Rural Heritage Centre

You’ll find this lovely bit of industrial history just a short walk outside the main town centre. It is a beautiful smock windmill that was built back in 1760 and still has its original wooden machinery fully intact.

The surrounding outbuildings have been turned into fantastic displays of traditional wheelwright and blacksmith workshops.

• Location: Ash Road, Sandwich CT13 9JB
• Opening Times: Sundays and Bank Holidays from April to September, 10:30 am – 4:00 pm.
• Tickets: Free entry, but donations are highly appreciated to help the volunteers keep it running.

11. Coastal & River Walks from Sandwich

Sandwich is a brilliant place for walking because it connects directly to several long-distance paths.

If you head right down to the town quay, you can step directly onto the Stour Valley Walk or the Saxon Shore Way, which run together along the banks of the River Stour. Following the river northwards is a fascinating experience; it is incredibly peaceful, flat and weaves through sweeping farmlands where you’ll see the cows grazing.

If you fancy a bit of a longer trek, you can follow the path as it arches towards the Viking Coastal Trail. This section leads you right past the Stonelees Nature Reserve and into Pegwell Bay Country Park.

But, my absolute favourite route is the newly designated King Charles III England Coast Path heading south towards Sandwich Bay. This walk is quite exposed but completely beautiful, taking you across the dunes of the Royal St George’s Golf Course, just watch out for flying golf balls! If you want to make your walk a bit longer, you can walk all the way to the historic Deal, which is further 6 km along the coast (you can take bus or train back to Sandwich)

• Location: Trails start from Sandwich Quay (CT13 9EN)
• Opening Times: Public footpaths and country parks are accessible 24 hours a day, year-round.
• Tickets: Completely free to walk.

This blog post was originally published on 4 June 2026 and last updated on 4 June 2026