Canterbury an Attraction for Almost 1000 Years

The Cathederal City in the Garden of England

Oct 12, 2008 Tony Butcher

Thousands of visitors come to Canterbury every year to savour its unique blend of history and contemporary life.

Canterbury has, in reality, been a tourist destination for nearly 1000 years. Following the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170AD and his subsequent canonisation Canterbury became one of the most notable towns in Europe, as pilgrims from all parts of Christendom came to visit his shrine. This, in turn, was immortalised by the great work of Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.

Canterbury’s Heritage

At the heart of Canterbury lies the Cathedral, whilst the history of a church in Canterbury dates back to around 602 B.C. the present structure dates from the Norman times where most of the early construction was done under the supervision of Anselm (later St. Anselm) however in the late 12th Century a fire destroyed much of the inner Cathedral. Following the canonization of Thomas Becket, the cathedral was rebuilt, by William of Sens, a Frenchman. The new cathedral was one of the first examples of Gothic architecture to be seen in Britain, a style copied by many other churches and building throughout the land.

However, the visitor should be lead to the idea that Canterbury’s history started with the Cathedral. There has been habitation in the Canterbury area since before Roman Times and much of the City is now built on the remains of the Roman settlement, and some remains can be found in the City’s Roman Museum. The post roman heritage can also be found. The ruins of St. Augustine’s 6th Century Abbey can be found just outside the city and the walls of the Norman Castle still surround the inner part of Canterbury.

Contemporary Canterbury

Canterbury should not be dismissed as a City that lives on its past. With two thriving Universities, modern shopping and an array of eating and drinking establishments the city is full of life.

Many plays and shows on tour make a stop at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre (named after Shakespeare’s contemporary who was born in the city) and, soon the theatre is to be refurbished to create a second auditorium for productions by the drama students attending the Universities.

The usual tourist attractions are available, for example The Canterbury Tales offers a reconstruction of those medieval days made famous by Chaucer. For the children there is the Rupert Bear Museum and Expression, an arts studio where visitors have the opportunity to have a go at a range of crafts.

Eating and drinking in Canterbury is wide and varied, with a range of restaurants offering international cuisine, copious numbers of cafés, and coffee shops and a range of bars for all tastes. Be warned though, the high number of students living in the area can make some bars extremely busy (and lively!) at night.

It is, perhaps, the blend of the old and the new that makes Canterbury so enchanting and fascinating. If you have the opportunity to visit the UK, try to make Canterbury fit in to your itinerary, it is unlikely you will be disappointed.

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Canterbury Cathedral