49 



own name to embankments in existence. It would seem that 

 for a long period a water passage, embanked, existed between 

 Sandwich and Minster for the passage of vessels, for in 1242 

 the Prior and Chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury, entered 

 into a composition with the Abbot and Convent of St. Augustine 

 respecting their respective possessions at Sandwich, Stonar and 

 other places in the neighbourhood. The Prior and his Chapter 

 granted to the Abbot and Monks a free passage by Sandwich 

 river to Menstre fleet, reserving their maratime dues from such 

 vessels as shall cast anchor in the said river before the fleet, etc., 

 but they reserve to themselves to be free from dues hereafter 

 and stipulate that the Abbot shall not fill up or destroy the fleet. 

 This is shown by a presentment made in 1313, "That the water- 

 course called Minster flete used to run from a branch of the 

 river to the village of Minster, to which place vessels resorted 

 with various merchandise . . . that the King took tonnage 

 in of the flete till Roger, Abbot of St. Augustine, the predecessor 

 of the present Abbott stopped up the water-course to the King's 

 damage, etc. The Abbot alleged that the current of the said 

 flete ran through his own ground, and that on account of a raging 

 tide, his predecessor in expectation of his lands being drowned, 

 by which he would lose the profit of one thousand acres."* 

 The jury find that the flete is part of the King's stream, running 

 through the Abbot's lands, and used to be so wide that two 

 coggers might turn there clear of one another. That before 

 filling up the said flete the Abbot made walls for the defence of 

 their land, which wall had been since neglected. In Boy's 

 "Sandwich" it is stated, in 1365 a great inundation of the sea 

 from Cliffsend to Stonore occurred, so that the town of Stonar 

 was almost destroyed, and it and all the levels between Canter- 

 bury and the sea were in danger of being overflowed ; whereon 

 Sir Ralph Spignornel and others were directed by King's com- 

 mission to enquire, and endeavour to secure houses and 

 land, &c. 



In 1558 is a suit to the Queen to amend; in 1548 the same 

 stream is stopped up ; and in 1559 commission.f 



Rogers cut the Haven ; the town will raise a thousand marks ; 

 a cunning and expert man of waterworks to be sent for from 

 Flanders — he came. In 1653 a committee appoint to improve 

 the Haven. In 1775 Sandwich petitioned against the bill for 

 draining the general valleys by a new cut. 



I believe the Wantsum ceased to be navigable for merchandise 

 from Sandwich to Reculver (Northmouth) after the 12th century. 

 Mr. Scott Robertson disputes this, and adduces the following 

 facts:— J Stow says, A.D. 1269, "The River Thames being frozen, 

 the merchandise from Sandwich was obliged to be taken to 



* Boys's History of Sandwich, 

 t See Boys, p. 688. 



X See Archseologia Canliana, Vol. XII., p. 338. 



D 



