The Barbican - Sandwich Toll House - Sandwich, Kent UK
Posted by: MeerRescue
N 51° 16.543 E 001° 20.513
31U E 384344 N 5681792
The Barbican - Sandwich Toll House.
Waymark Code: WMDVWK
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/28/2012
Views: 3
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.