STEPHEN WEBB heads to the Kent seaside and finds delightful towns, historic sites and plenty of good grub

IT seems whenever I do these travel pieces, food plays a prominent part in what I write. But it can’t be helped this time – because we were staying in Sandwich.

Yes, this delightful little Kent town has played a significant part in the casual dining habits of people around the world for more than 200 years, thanks to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.

You see the good Earl (1718-1792) was partial to a game of cards and would spend hours at the gaming table, refusing to adjourn to partake in the sort of hearty meals the English nobility of this time were known to tuck in to.

No, to satisfy his hunger the Earl would summon a servant and order him to fetch a slice of meat between two pieces of bread – and voila! The sandwich was born. And the Earl who “christened” it happily munched away so the pressing matter of quadrille or polignac could progress.

History may have embellished the detail over the years, but it is one of those charmingly eccentric tales that we demand to be true.

Not that the town of Sandwich itself has, er, made a meal out of it. There are a few sandwich shops among the Sandwich shops (and a local tourism website called Open Sandwich), but the town has plenty of history of its own without having to rely on the quirky dining habits of an 18th century nobleman.

Wander its maze of streets and you are very much in old England, with architecture that demands to be described as charming, quaint and photogenic.

Sandwich is one of the Cinque Ports, a medieval maritime association it shares with Dover, Hythe, New Romney and Hastings. As that association suggests, the town once stood by the sea – now it is two miles inland, although there is a mildly busy to-ing and fro-ing of small boats on the River Stour, which runs along its eastern edge.

Our base for the night was The Bell Hotel, which stands on the quay at the riverside, and although it must be one of the larger buildings in Sandwich, it still retains the charm and character that is de rigueur in this little town.

Our comfy, well-appointed room offered a lovely view over the river and the countryside beyond it. Indeed we took in that view as we enjoyed a cup of tea in the sunshine on our balcony, where we discussed the history and geography of the area – and what we fancied for our evening meal.

And with that still on our mind, we tore ourselves from the balcony and headed for the bar and brasserie, where the sunshine still poured through the windows as we had a pre-meal drink while perusing the menu.

Now, of course it would have been entirely appropriate for us to order a sarnie of some sort, but we were hungry and wanted something a bit more substantial – and as we’d spent a few hours earlier in the day wandering around Whitstable, I had a yearning for fish, and fish and chips close to the seaside in Kent did the trick.

After a good night’s sleep, which followed a stroll around those olde worlde streets, and a large and tasty Bell breakfast, we had the day ahead of us to explore this delightful corner of the country.

We headed a few miles down the coast to Deal, a seaside resort that’s larger than Sandwich but not too much so to take in in a day – it’s no big Deal – and while it is tempting to describe it as bustling, it is not overwhelmingly so.

Its main attraction is the beach, a pebbly shoreline that stretches several miles north and south, giving fabulous sea views and backed by a mix of shops, restaurants and pubs.

There is a modest little pier and take a moment to look at the timeball, an historic timepiece vital for sailors to set their chronometers before setting sail for distant ports.

A stroll along this seafront is invigorating and as lunchtime came calling, we looked for something to eat. But rather than visit one of those aforementioned pubs or restaurants, we gazed at the goodies on offer at a seafood stall by the beach.

Everything on display looked fresh and tasty, and having eventually made our choice, we sat on the sea wall and munched our way through a couple of seafood salads. It really was a taste of seaside Kent.

It was a bit messy, mind – the plastic fork mine came with was small and frail, and it wasn’t long before it snapped in two. Now if only I could have found two slices of bread...

 

<li>Stephen Webb stayed at The Bell Hotel, The Quay, Sandwich CT13 9EF. Tel. 01304 613 388. www.bellhotelsandwich.co.uk Prices vary depending of length of stay and time of year visiting, but it’s worth checking out the special offers – there is currently one for a two night stay with break with bed and breakfast plus one dinner from £240 for a standard double room. Walmer Castle is owned by English Heritage and admission is £7.90 for adults, £4.70 for children and family tickets (two adults, three children) are £20.50. English Heritage members are admitted free. The castle is open 10am-6pm seven days a week until September 30. More information at english-heritage.org.uk/
daysout/properties/
walmer-castle-and-gardens

 

Check this out...

THERE is much to see in this region of Kent, particularly if you are lovers of history and nature. 
Castles, forts, churches, plus numerous wildlife reserves and bird sanctuaries – the two days we had simply weren’t enough to take it all in. 
One attraction we were keen to visit was Walmer Castle, which is just to the south of Deal. 
The castle was built by Henry VIII as part of a string of coastal defences, but it eventually became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, among whom was the Queen Mother in the later years of her life. 
This low, squat but not unattractive fortification doesn’t look like a typical castle, but its thick walls and rooftop bristling with cannons would have made it extremely difficult for any would-be attacker to penetrate. 
On one side those walls offer superb views of the sea, while on the other you get a glimpse of the beautifully maintained gardens, which are a delight wander around once back on ground level. 
But among Walmer’s many VIP residents and guests, one name stands out – the Duke of Wellington. Once the victor of Waterloo had given up military campaigning and politics, he lived out his final days Walmer. Indeed, in one room visitors can the see the armchair in which he died. 
There are many Wellington-related artefacts dotted around the castle, including some of his uniforms, and for some reason, a pair of his boots…