In the ancient city of Canterbury, where history whispers from every stone, a journey through time awaits. Here, among the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and the soaring spires of Canterbury Cathedral, centuries of faith, art, and human experience intertwine in a captivating tapestry that continues to draw pilgrims and travellers from across the globe.
Where Ancient History Meets Modern Questions
Walking through the grounds of St Augustine's Abbey, established in 598 AD just one year after St Augustine brought Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons, visitors encounter a landscape steeped in memory. The abbey flourished for nearly a millennium until its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1538, and now stands as a magnificent ruin where squirrels and robins dart among weathered stones.
Within this sacred space, a leather shroud split open reveals the skeleton of a young woman, creating a poignant connection across centuries. This sobering welcome sets the tone for exploring Canterbury's spiritual heart, where mortality and silence connect modern visitors with those who walked these paths generations ago.
The Living Cathedral: From Medieval Marvel to Modern Art
Canterbury Cathedral, also founded by St Augustine, continues to evolve while honouring its ancient traditions. Visitors entering the hallowed space might initially be surprised to find what appears to be graffiti defacing its sacred surfaces. However, this proves to be the powerful art installation "Hear Us" - graffiti-style graphics featuring handwritten questions to God collected from community workshops.
The installation, created by poet Alex Vellis and curator Jacquiline Creswell, poses profound questions like "Why is there so much pain and destruction?" and "Is this all there is?" These age-old queries find fresh voice alongside the cathedral's medieval stained-glass windows and centuries of traditional graffiti carved into stone surfaces.
Architecturally, the cathedral offers a breathtaking journey through styles and eras. The late Gothic nave features soaring, slender columns and dizzying fan vaulting that draws eyes upward, while the wooden carvings of the quire provide sensuous, tactile detail at eye level. Below, the 11th-century western crypt with its stolid Norman pillars leads to the site of Thomas Becket's original shrine.
Memorials and Modern Reflections
The story of Thomas Becket, martyred by Henry II's knights in 1170, remains central to Canterbury Cathedral's identity. Giles Blomfield's 1986 installation "Martyrdom" marks the exact spot in the North West Transept where Becket was murdered, featuring a jagged cross flanked by swords and a monolithic stone altar.
While the cathedral's beauty and sanctity are undeniable, some visitors might find themselves surprisingly underwhelmed compared to other English cathedrals at Ely, Peterborough, and Litchfield. Yet Canterbury's historical significance as the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion ensures its enduring importance.
Exploring Beyond the Cathedral Walls
After experiencing the cathedral, visitors can retreat to historic accommodations like the Grade II-listed 15th-century House of Agnes, named for a character in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield. The city's cobbled streets lead to numerous other historical sites, including St Martin's Church - one of the world's oldest continuously used churches - medieval Westgate Towers, gardens along the River Stour, and the remains of Canterbury Castle.
For those with limited time, the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge offers a fascinating concentration of local culture and history. This quirky combination of art gallery, library, and museum housed in another Grade II-listed building showcases everything from local heroes like Basil Brush, Rupert Bear, and Bagpuss to exhibitions featuring works by David Hockney and Canterbury-born artist Thomas Sidney Cooper.
The museum's displays range from ancient objects and taxidermy - including a mummified cat - to fine arts and crafts spanning centuries. Particularly striking is the contemporary abstract calligraphy exhibition, whose Islamic-inspired rhythmic arabesques echo the questions posed in the cathedral's "Hear Us" installation, beautifully illustrating the enduring human quest for meaning and connection across cultures and eras.
From its Stone Age origins through Roman, Jute, and Saxon settlements to its role as the main city of the Kingdom of Kent and heart of Anglo-Saxon Christianity, Canterbury's extraordinarily rich history continues to captivate all who walk its ancient paths.
