 The nearby Barbican dates from the 14th century and stands at the end of the bridge over the River Stour where it was used as a toll house.On 28 August 1457, after four years of uneasy peace in England the king presided over a wasting realm, with feudal barons lording it over the population of the north and the west.The French took advantage of the situation by sending a raiding party to Kent, burning much of Sandwich to the ground.