Canterbury Cathedral Video Guide 🇬🇧 England Best Place - Travel & Discover

Canterbury and Kent is a relatively small city, but it is the spiritual capital of England. Its religious history begins with Saint Augustine, who was sent from Rome in 597 AD by Pope Gregory to convert the English from paganism. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, whose modern successor is the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Canterbury is also famous because of Saint Thomas Becket, another Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered in the Cathedral in 1170 at the hands of the King's knights. Canterbury's historic district is significant for its historical associations with institutions and people important in the development of the area. The centre was the location of Canterbury's first church, the site of town meetings and Many of the buildings in Canterbury's centre are well-preserved examples of particular styles and periods of architecture. A vestige of the Middle Ages through the 16th century, the wood-frame house was built by the common people for the common people. It has a peaked roof and a sturdy dark wood frame of time-wisened oak that constitutes the structure of the building, with the spaces in between filled with light materials, such as clay mixed with chopped straw, generally of a neutral colour. The structural timber is clearly visible both from the inside and outside of the house. Cross pieces, uprights, diagonals, girders and beams, invariably in dark colour, accent the exterior and lend an unmistakable air of rusticity to the entire edifice. The Romans had introduced brick to England during their domination, but after they left in 410 AD, the use of brick stopped. Though brick was reintroduced in the late 13th century, the middle of the 16th century marks the start of the extensive use of what is called the English Bond method of construction, when brick began to replace wood. One line of bricks was positioned lengthways, and then a line placed on top of that with all bricks placed sideways. Canterbury began as an Iron Age settlement. It was an important centre for the local Celtic tribe, the Cantiaci, in the 1st century AD. In 43 AD, the Romans invaded Britain. Late in the 1st century, they took over the Celtic settlement and rebuilt it. The Romans called the new town Durovernum Cantiacorum. They laid out the new streets in a grid pattern and built public buildings in stone. In Roman Canterbury, rich people built houses of stone with mosaic floors, while poor people lived in wood and plaster huts. In the early 3rd century, a wall was built around Canterbury. The town flourished for 300 years, but in the 4th century, Roman civilization declined. After the Romans left Britain in 407 AD, town life broke down and Canterbury was probably abandoned. Because it was close to the eastern shore of England, Canterbury suffered severely when the Danes began raiding England. In 1011, the Danes returned and laid siege to Canterbury, capturing it after 20 days. They burned the cathedral and most of the houses in Canterbury. In the Middle Ages, the main industries in Canterbury were wool and leather. Wool was England's main export and leather was used to make shoes, gloves and saddles. Another important industry in Canterbury was providing for the needs of the many pilgrims who flocked there to visit Thomas Becket's grave. The city has a unique charm, with past and present sitting comfortably side by side. There were few towns in medieval England, and those that existed were very small by modern standards. Most people in medieval England were village peasants, but religious centers did attract people, and many therefore developed into towns or cities. These cities grew large mainly because they were cathedral cities, and so attracted all manner of people, but especially traders and pilgrims. After the death of Thomas Becket in 1170, Canterbury Cathedral became a very special place of pilgrimage, visited by thousands of people each year. Village people traveled to towns to trade at market, and thus the town was enlarged to accommodate visitors and also ensure it was safe. The Christ Church Gateway is the main entrance into the cathedral precinct. Built in 1438, this house has stood for centuries between the tranquil haven of the cathedral and its precincts, and the jostling commerce of the city centre. Built during the Tudor period, the Tudor rose as well as the heraldic symbols of Henry VII appear on the gateway. The figure of a welcoming Christ at the centre is a modern replacement of a statue destroyed during the Puritan revolution. The elaborate carvings and shields are dedicated to the last patron of the abbey, Prince Arthur, who was the older brother of Henry VIII. The gate is located off the butter market, adjacent to the war memorial. Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest Christian churches in England, and continues to play a central role in English Christianity. Originally founded in 602 AD by Saint Augustine, it still functions as the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Decorating the Romanesque exterior are intertwined blind arches, embellished with decoratively carved columns, and figurative capitals, all of which date from Archbishop Anselm's reconstruction around 1120. Many of the capitals are weathered beyond recognition, but others still clearly display interesting medieval characters. The grandeur of the architecture reflects Canterbury's historic and religious importance. The main entrance is through the Gothic southwest porch, which dates from the 15th century. Lanfranc's original Norman central tower, the Angel's Steeple, was demolished in the 1430s. Reconstruction took place over 50 years later, and the new tower rose to a height of 90 metres. Christ Church Cathedral is a unique artistic creation. The beauty of its architecture is enhanced by a set of exceptional architectural elements that constitute the richest collection in the United Kingdom. Canterbury Cathedral has beautiful cloisters, the most important of which, the Great Cloisters, was built around 1400. The intricate tracery of the vaulting is characteristic of the late English Gothic, or perpendicular style. The lace-like ribs are ornamental and have no structural purpose. The bosses are adorned with the heraldic symbols of the cathedral's donors. In the Middle Ages, the interior of the cathedral housed tombs, although very few townspeople had the wealth or connections to be able to mix, in death, with bishops and aristocracy. The Great Cloisters, surrounded by the buildings, essentially connected with the daily life of the monks, including the refectory, the dormitory, and the chapter house. A passage under the dormitory leads eastwards to the smaller, or infirmary cloister, appropriated to the sick and infirm monks. Outside of these are the halls and chambers with which every monastery was provided, that were devoted to receiving visitors. The campus for Christ Church College was constructed on land that was once the orchards and domestic buildings of the adjacent St. Augustine's Abbey. The gatehouse to St. Augustine's Abbey is now almost the only remaining edifice of the once-celebrated abbey. It is said to have been erected as early as 1287, during the reign of Edward I. Its great merit is the simplicity, as well as the elegance of its design, resulting from the extreme chastity of its proportions. The enrichments are comprised of an abundance of beautiful moldings, rather than of sculptured ornaments. Ruins of the St. Augustine Abbey where, according to the venerable Bede, the apostle to the Anglo-Saxons established the forty Benedictine monks who accompanied him, are still visible, halfway between St. Martin's Church and the cathedral. The abbey, dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul, included oratories and chapels. Excavations have revealed parts of the plan. The primitive institution, veritable cradle of Benedictine monasticism in England, was restored following Scandinavian invasions by St. Dunstan, who, in 987, dedicated a new structure to St. Augustine. Modifications made during the 11th century, both before and after the Norman conquest, have not erased the plans of the earlier churches, which, like a palimpsest, can still be read. Conversely, the abbey buildings virtually disappeared in their entirety, following the dissolution of the community by Henry VIII in 1538. A royal palace later stood on the site of the abbey buildings, against the northern side aisle of the nave. Shown here, the north wall of the Norman nave, walled up and converted into a palace. Christianity had reached Britain in Roman times, but many pagans remained unconverted when the Roman legions departed in 410. According to legend, Pope Gregory the Great, in the 6th century, heard about the tribe called the Angles and thought such angels must be converted. The facts are not quite as romantic. The pagan King Althabert of Kent had married a Frankish Christian princess named Bertha, and it was probably due to her influence that Pope Gregory sent missionaries to the area. Assigned to the task of converting the Anglo-Saxons was a future St. Augustine of Canterbury, who was then an abbot in Rome. St. Augustine baptized King Althabert by the end of 597 and founded an abbey to serve as his base in 598 AD. The abbey was the burial place of St. Augustine, subsequent abbots and archbishops, and the kings of Kent. Construction of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul was begun during Augustine's lifetime, but completed around 613 by his successor. Built from reused Roman bricks, it was a simple structure. At the east end of the abbey church is a crypt of Abbot Wolfrich's Rotunda, a multi-storey octagonal structure built around 1050 to link the Church of St. Peter and Paul, the main church, with the Chapel of St. Mary. The abbot probably got the idea for the design during his visit to Reims in France. A Norman choir, later built over top of it, was only rediscovered in 1914. The Anglo-Saxon buildings were completely reconstructed in the Romanesque style following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, when it took on the form of a typical Norman Benedictine monastery. From about 1250 onwards, the abbey was once again alive with building work. The cloister, lavatorium, frater, and kitchen were totally rebuilt and a grand new abbot's lodging was constructed. A new granulated great gate was built in 1309, thus completing the inner court. The religious history of St. Augustine's Abbey came to an end with King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1538. Its 30 monks were evicted and its treasures were dispersed. King Henry did not sell the site, but converted it into a palace for the use of his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Beginning in 1541, the attention of the king's workmen turned to the demolition of the abbey buildings. The materials, including blocks of canned stone and medieval floor tiles, were sold for reuse. The palace ended up not being used much by the monarchy and was leased to a succession of nobles. This palace is thought to have survived until a great storm in 1703, which caused great damage to the already ruinous structure of the abbey. The Norman crypt is a half-story lower than the rest of the church. Built beneath the choir and high altar, which was elevated, the crypt was used for worship and burials. The first part of the new Norman church to be built under Archbishop St. Anselm at the turn of the 12th century, it is elaborately decorated. The Norman crypt under the high altar looks east towards the chapel of St. Mary and the Angels. It was built at the same time as the choir, which was extended to give sufficient space for the greatly revived monastery in the late 11th century. The crypt is the largest of its kind in England. The north chapel of the crypt is dedicated to St. Richard of Winchester in the foreground, with the chapel of St. Pancras behind. Canterbury is also the site of important ruins of a Norman castle keep and castle walls as well as one of the three original royal castles in Kent. Canterbury Castle was established in the 1080s by the Normans and replaced an earlier motte and bailey fortification built at the nearby Dane John. The stone keep was largely constructed in the reign of Henry I in the early 12th century. By the 13th century, the castle had become the county jail. The influence of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Augustine was decisive throughout the High Middle Ages in England. The influence of this monastic centre and its cryptorium extended far beyond the boundaries of Kent and Northumbria. Canterbury Castle was one of the three original royal castles of Kent. The other two were at Rochester and Dover, all of which were built shortly after the Battle of Hastings. They were all situated on the main Roman road from Dover to London, the route taken by William the Conqueror in October 1066, and it is more than likely that they were all built originally as motte and bailey castles in the winter of 1066-1067 to guard this important route. In Canterbury, the original castle was almost certainly located in the southern angle of the 3rd century Roman city walls, in the area of the present public gardens. It has been expanded and modernized for many different uses in the past. Once used as a jail and even as a storage depot, it is now open to the public and receives many visitors every day. St. Mildred's Church is situated near Canterbury Castle and remains the only standing pre-Norman conquest church inside the city walls. Outside, on the southwest corner, are huge coin stones, which may have come from the ruins of Roman Canterbury. The south and west walls are possibly original, but the windows were added in the 1300s along with the tower on the north side of the church. The north aisle was built in 1486. It was dedicated to a Saxon princess who became a nun and died around the year 700. The church is thought to have been built or rededicated in the early 11th century, when St. Augustine's Abbey just outside Canterbury was allowed to retrieve Mildred's remains from the sacked nunnery where she was buried. St. Thomas' is part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark, which takes in the local authorities covering south London and Kent. After the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, under King Henry VIII, the Catholic faith in Canterbury all but disappeared. The Catholic mission in Canterbury was re-established around 1750 and dates back to the Hales family who lived at St. Stephen's, Hackington, a village to the northwest of the city. The Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury was built between 1874 and 1875. The architect was John Green Hall, a local man who had designed other churches in Canterbury. During Roman times, Canterbury was surrounded by city walls. Traces of the walls still remain in selected areas. The walls are mentioned in several Anglo-Saxon documents, dating back to 1011 when the Danes succeeded in breaking into the city, slaughtering the inhabitants and tossing them over the walls. Stories are also told of the same Danish Vikings being thrown from the battlements. The walls were frequently rebuilt and reconstructed, but never had to withstand any other real siege after the events of 1011. These defensive walls have loomed large in the history of Canterbury for nearly two millennia and deterred invaders from the time of their construction until 700 years later. Today, much of the defensive structure remains, including long stretches of wall, gatehouses and wall towers. Canterbury is an attractive city with a number of gardens, parks and centrally located green areas. Much of the Dane-drawn gardens is surrounded by the historic city walls and mature trees. This historic park within Canterbury's city walls dates back to 1551 and includes a mound that historical records prove was there in the first century AD. A stroll along the city walls that border one side of the gardens to the top of the Dane-drawn mound offers an excellent view of the city. The mound called the Dane-drawn is a corruption of the word Dane-drawn and reflects the fact that this was the first Norman mott to be erected shortly after the Battle of Hastings. The gardens are a delightful spot to sit and reflect. A central fountain and a children's maze are two of the park's many attractions. The Great Stour is the second longest river in Kent as well as the major water course in the east of the country. Rising 75 metres above sea level near the village of Lenham to the east of Maidstone, the Great Stour joins the East Stour at Ashford and continues along to Canterbury. The meandering river provides a perfect environment for swans, ducks and moorhens to settle and raise their young. By following the course of the Great Stour through Canterbury, it is possible to see a vast variety of different areas of both historical and wildlife interest. Canterbury has grown up because of the Great Stour. Many of its industries and therefore its wealth have depended upon it. After the Cathedral, the West Gate is Canterbury's next eye-catching landmark. For six centuries, its towers have stood on guard over the road to and from London. Hundreds of thousands of medieval pilgrims, on their way to visit St Thomas Becket's Shrine, pass through this gateway into the city. The West Gate is well preserved. The spiral access stair is brightly lit, and a rope handrail guides visitors safely and easily to the museum displays and souvenir desk above the road. The West Gate Gardens are located close to the city centre, just next to the West Gate Tower. The four and one half hectares of public gardens provide an ideal setting for a gentle stroll along the banks of the River Stour. Where visitors can unwind and absorb the tranquil beauty of the garden and its wildlife. The stretch of land along the Stour has a long history as a garden. In the 15th century, there were no less than five gardens and a hay meadow here. There was constant bickering in several court cases between the residents and the Prior of Christ Church over ownership of the land. In 1500, the Mayor and residents seized the area by force. They were charged and tried before the Court of Star Chamber. The Mayor and his adherents made sure of winning their case by spinning lavishly to bribe lawyers, and the case was decided in the city's favour. The first building encountered after entering the gardens through the wrought iron gate beside West Gate Towers is the Guildhall. This was the Church of the Holy Cross built in 1380 by Archbishop Simon Sudbury after the original chapel over the gate was demolished. The history of the present gardens is linked to the local families. Tower House, which now serves as the Lord Mayor's office and for official functions, was built around one of the 21 medieval bastions constructed to defend Canterbury's city wall. Although maps show a house on the site in 1832, and records suggest dwellings had been in place since the 15th century, the current house is an early Victorian building, probably dating from around 1850, though the exact date is uncertain. In 1886, the house was acquired by the Williamson family, proprietors of Canterbury's famous tannery. It was during their ownership that the beautiful gardens around the house, now known as Westgate Gardens, were laid out. The site of the tomb of St Thomas Becket, Canterbury has been a European pilgrimage site of major importance for over 800 years. Today, it is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in England. In 1988, UNESCO granted World Heritage status to part of the city, including St Martin's Church, St Augustine's Abbey, and the Cathedral.