 Elizabeth I granted 25 Flemish families permission to live in Sandwich, and St Peter became the "Stranger's Church" in 1564 when the plague came to the town, in an effort to halt the spread of the disease.The 1661 tower collapse was repaired by the Flemish community, and the distinctive tower reflects their work.The Huguenot refugees also brought over Flemish architectural techniques, that are now as much a part of Kent as the thatched cottage.