This sample chapter is taken from the current edition of Daytrips London and has been updated for inclusion in the next edition due in 2010. It has a new map and a slightly revised walking tour.
Trip 13
A Daytrip from London
*Canterbury
Over two thousand years of history made their mark on Canterbury, a magnet for countless pilgrimages since the 12th century. St. Augustine established the Christian Church in England here as far back as AD 597, and in 1170 the martyr Thomas à Becket was murdered in its cathedral. As a convenient place to ford the River Stour, Canterbury was a strategic settlement ever since the Iron Age. The Romans, calling the place Durovernum, made it an important center of trade in the 1st century AD. During Anglo-Saxon times its status increased as the name changed to Cantwarabyrig, and it became the capital of the Kingdom of Kent. Much of Canterbury's colorful past remains intact today, despite the ravages of Cromwell's troops and the bombs of World War II.
GETTING THERE:
Trains to Canterbury East Station, operated by Southeastern, depart from Victoria Station in London at least hourly, the run taking about 90 minutes. Be sure to get on the right car, as some trains split en route. Return service operates until late evening. Southeastern also operates similar service from London’s Charing Cross and Waterloo stations, going to Canterbury West Station, near the West Gate, and also to Canterbury East Station. These are slightly slower. Schedules at W: railtrack.co.uk.
By Car, Canterbury is 58 miles southeast of London via the A2 and M2 highways.
PRACTICALITIES:
Any day is a good day to visit Canterbury, bearing in mind that some minor sights are closed on Sundays. The Canterbury Information Centre, T: (01227) 378-100, W: canterbury.co.uk, is at 12/13 Sun Street, The Butter Market, opposite the cathedral’s main entrance. You might ask there about renting a bicycle in town as this is good cycling country. Canterbury is in the county of Kent, and has a population of about 38,670.
FOOD AND DRINK:
Having attracted pilgrims and their modern counterparts since the Middle Ages, Canterbury has no shortage of restaurants and pubs in all price ranges. Some good choices for lunch are:
[this list is currently being revised for the new edition]
SUGGESTED TOUR:
Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.
Leaving Canterbury East Station (1), cross the footbridge over the A-2 highway and turn right on the ancient city walls. Those arriving at Canterbury West Station br should adjust their route accordingly. Dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, these bastions were built atop Roman foundations. To your left is Dane John Gardens (2), a pleasant 18th-century park with a strange mound of unexplained but probably prehistoric origin. There's a view if you climb to the top. Continue along the walls and turn left by the bus station onto St. George's Street. The tower on the right is all that remains of St. George's Church, where Christopher Marlowe was baptized in 1564.
St. George's Street soon becomes High Street. Stroll down this and make a left onto St. Margaret's Street. Before exploring the town, why not brush up on your Chaucer (and have some fun!) at the:
*CANTERBURY TALES (3), T: (01227) 479-227, W: canterburytales.org.uk. Open daily except Christmas, Dec. 26, New Year's Day, 10-5 (4:30 in winter). £££.
This popular attraction is a marvelous walk-through re-creation of the famous medieval pilgrimage. Here animated figures, light, sound, and even smells bring to life the Knight's Tale, the bawdy Miller's Tale, the fanciful Wife of Bath's Tale, and all those other stories you remember so well from schooldays. A great introduction to the town, and now for the real thing:
Retrace your steps and head up narrow Mercery Lane, the traditional pilgrim's approach to the cathedral. During medieval days this was lined with stalls selling healing water from Becket's Well, medallions of St. Thomas, and other mementoes of the pilgrimage. At its far end is the Butter Market, an ancient center of trade. The magnificent Christchurch Gate (4), opposite, dates from the early 16th century and is the main entrance to the cathedral precinct.
Pass through the gate and enter the grounds of:
*CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL (5), T: (01227) 762-862, W: canterbury-cathedral.org. Open Mon.Sat. 9-5:30, closing at 5 in winter; Sun. 12:30-2 and 4:30-5:30. Closed Good Friday, Dec. 24, 25. Guided tours available. ₤₤.
Canterbury Cathedral is the mother church of the Anglican faith throughout the world. For centuries it has been a center of pilgrimage and in a sense still is, although today's visitors are more likely to be tourists. Neither the largest, the tallest, nor the most beautiful of English cathedrals, it nevertheless has an attraction that is second to none.
A cathedral was built on this site by St. Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, in 602. This lasted until 1067, when it burned down. The present structure was begun in 1070 and completed in 1503, although little of the earlier work remains.
Enter the cathedral by way of the southwest porch. The lofty nave was built in the Perpendicular style during the 14th century, replacing an inadequate Norman original. Above the crossing you can see up the entire height of the magnificent Bell Harry Tower, whose bell is rung every evening and tolled on the death of a sovereign or an archbishop. A flight of steps to the right of the screen leads to the elevated Choir, one of the longest in England.
Behind the High Altar is the Trinity Chapel, which held Becket's tomb until Henry VIII had it demolished and the bones scattered in 1538. The tomb of the only king to be buried at Canterbury, Henry IV, and that of Edward, the Black Prince, are also in this chapel. At the extreme east end is a circular chapel known as the Corona, or Becket's Crown. The marble chair in its center is used for the enthronement of every archbishop.
The north aisle leads past the choir to the northwest transept, the scene of the martyrdom. It was here that Archbishop Thomas à Becket was murdered on December 29, 1170 (image, right). The four knights who committed the deed thought they were carrying out the desire of their king, Henry II, although his part in it is disputed by historians. Henry certainly had reason to get rid of “this turbulent priest,” his former friend and ally who had challenged the power of the State. Whatever the rationale behind the killing, it led to the canonization of Becket, the chastisement of Henry II, the role of Canterbury as a place of pilgrimage, and helped further the cause of individual freedom.
The spacious Crypt is the oldest part of the cathedral, dating from Norman times. Along its south aisle there is a Huguenot chapel where services in French are still held. Becket was first buried at the east end, which was also the scene of Henry II's penance.
Stroll into the early-15th-century Cloisters by way of the northwest transept. Adjoining it is the Chapter House and Library. Follow the passageway and turn left into the grounds of the King's School (6). Although it was refounded by Henry VIII, the school claims an ancestry going back to the time of St. Augustine, which would make it the oldest in England. The 12th-century Norman staircase near the northwest corner of the Green Court is superb, as are the views of the cathedral from this point.
Returning, bear left and walk around the rear of the cathedral to the Kent War Memorial Gardens. Go through the gate in the far corner and follow the map to the ruins of St. Augustine's Abbey (7). Originally founded in 598 and rebuilt several times since, it was destroyed by Henry VIII following the Reformation. Excavations revealed the layout of several buildings including the church, monk's dormitory, kitchen, refectory, and cloisters. A new museum of artifacts found during excavations has recently been added, and the admission price includes an interactive audio tour of the ruins. T: (01227) 767-345, W: english-heritage.org.uk. Open April-Sept. daily 10–6; Oct. daily 10-5; Nov.-March daily 10-4. Closed Dec. 25, Jan. 1, Mon. in off-season. ₤₤.
From here you might want to make an interesting little side trip. Walk back around St. Augustine's and turn left on Monastery Street, then left again on Longport. Just past the jail make another left to St. Martin's Church (8), said to be the oldest church in England to remain in use. Parts of it date from before the time of St. Augustine and were used by Queen Bertha, Christian wife of pagan King Ethelbert. Explore the interior, noting in particular the Saxon font, then stroll through the tranquil graveyard. T: (01227) 453-469, W: martinpaul.org. Open Tues., Thurs., Sat. 11-4, closing at 3 in winter. Donation welcome.
Returning to town via Longport and Church Street, walk down Burgate and turn left into Butchery Lane. The Canterbury Roman Museum (9) lies buried beneath a modern shopping centre, at the actual level of the Roman town. Incorporating remains of an excavated Roman villa from around AD 100, it uses modern techniques to re-create life here some 1,500 years ago. T: (01227) 785-575, W: canterbury-museums.co.uk. Open Mon.-Sat. 10-4, and on Sun. in June-Sept., 1:30-4. Closed Good Friday and Christmas week. ₤₤.
Continuing along High Street, you will pass Queen Elizabeth's Guest Chamber, a Tudor house on the left in which the queen entertained her French suitor, the Duke of Alençon. It is now a café. Farther along on the right is the Canterbury Royal Museum and Art Gallery (10), otherwise known as the Beaney Institute. It has a fine collection of Roman and other antiquities as well as local art and regimental history. Closed for restoration until about 2011.
Amble down St. Peter's Street to the Westgate (11). Built in the late 14th century, this imposing fortification once guarded the western approach to Canterbury. Its upper floor served as the city jail until 1829, and now houses a museum of arms and torture instruments. There is a superb view from the top. T: (01227) 452-747, W: canterbury-museums.co.uk. Open Sat. only, 11-12:30 and 1:30-3:30. ₤.
A stroll through Westgate Gardens is very inviting. Return along St. Peter's Street to the Eastbridge Hospital (12), a well-preserved 12th-century hostel for poor pilgrims. Its crypt, chapel, and hall may be visited. T: (01227) 471-688, W: eastbridgehospital.org.uk. Open Mon.-Sat. 10-5. Closed Sun., Good Friday, Christmas week. £.
Turn right on Stour Street and then right again into a tiny lane marked “to Greyfriars.” Follow the path onto a small island. The extremely picturesque 13th-century Greyfriars (13) (photo, left) is all that remains of the first Franciscan friary in England. From inside you can get a feeling of what monastic life in medieval Canterbury was like. T: (01227) 462-395. Open Easter through late Sept., Mon.-Sat. 2-4. Free.
Just beyond this, also on Stour Street, is the Poor Priests' Hospital (14). This 14th-century hostel now houses the Museum of Canterbury, where the latest techniques are used to re-create the city's past, from Roman times to the near-present. T: (01227) 452-747, W: canterbury-museums.co.uk. Open Mon.-Sat. 11-4, and on Sun. from June through Sept., 1:30-4. £₤.
Follow the map back to the station via Castle Street. At its end, opposite the city wall, are the ruins of an 11th-century Norman Castle (15). Never very effective as a defensive bastion, it was later used as a jail, a coal dump, and a water tank.
Cross Castle Street and turn left at the city walls, taking the overpass to the station.
Text and map copyright © 2003 by Earl Steinbicker, updated to 2009.
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