Local Area
Sandwich Technology School is located in the ancient Cinque Port of Sandwich, a town on the south-east coast of England which is richly woven with history and tradition. Sandwich boasts some of the best-preserved medieval buildings in England, the street plan having changed little since the time of Domesday in 1086. Many of its churches, houses and public buildings date back to the 13th Century.
Sandwich gets its name from the Old English “sandwic" meaning sandplace. However, the name of this historic, riverside town has become inextricably linked to the eating habits of John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. A man too fond of gambling to pause to eat, it is said he preferred his meat between two slices of bread.
Sandwich gained importance in 1155 with the confederation of the Cinque Ports. In return for an obligation to supply ships and men to the King, the Cinque Ports were given special privileges including freedom from tolls and customs duties, freedom to trade and freedom to hold their own judicial courts. Over the centuries, the silting of the River Stour has removed Sandwich to a distance of two miles from the sea.
Sandwich today has a population of around 4,500 and is home to a wide selection of specialist shops, cafés and restaurants. Local attractions include the Richborough Roman Fort, Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Gazen Salts Nature Reserve and the Salutation, with restored gardens designed by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Golfers have a wide choice of courses very close to the town including the championship course of Royal St George’s. Sandwich Town Cricket Club, established in 1823, is open to everyone and Sandwich Sports and Leisure Centre – which stands on the school site – provides a wealth of fitness activities.
Sandwich is surrounded by small villages, such as Eastry, Ash, Worth and Woodnesborough, which have always been regarded as part of the Sandwich area. The larger towns of Canterbury, Deal, Dover and Thanet (which comprises Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate) are within easy reach by road and rail.
Sandwich is served by a railway station, linking the town to London. Services include the High Speed One Network (HS1), which has reduced journey times dramatically. There is easy access to the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover for day trips or weekends away on the continent. Stagecoach East Kent provides a public bus service across the area and there is also a National Express Coach service, with links to Canterbury and Victoria Coach Station in London.