The Barbican - Sandwich Toll House - Sandwich, Kent UK - Bygone Toll Houses on Waymarking.com

The Barbican is one of two remaining medieval town gates in the once walled Cinque Port Town of Sandwich. The Barbican was built in 1539 as part of Henry VIII's defences against French invasion. Prior to a bridge being placed here, the only way to cross the River Stour at this point was by hand pulled ferry, and documents show that ferry and toll rights were granted by King Canute to the monks of Christ Church Canterbury as far back as 1028.

The bridge itself was built across the river in 1759 and the Town Council began collecting tolls almost immediately for use by traffic using the now improved route to Thanet, with the Barbican becoming the Toll-Keepers house.  Being situated on the only route to and from Thanet that goods and vehicles could cross the River Dour for miles around, over the years Sandwich became wealthy because of the tolls.  However, in April 1974, Sandwich Town Council, who had relied on the money generated by tolls to pay for upkeep and improvements within the town, had become part of the new Dover District Council, which merged Dover, Deal and Sandwich Town Councils. The newly formed Dover District Council soon laid claim to the monies raised by the tolls, and rather than hand over the accumulated toll money, Sandwich Town Council voted to cease toll collection on 30th September 1977, and place the outstanding monies in a charitable trust.