Canterbury Cathedral
Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral from the city entrance
51°16′47″N 1°04′59″E / 51.279722°N 1.083056°E / 51.279722; 1.083056Coordinates: 51°16′47″N 1°04′59″E / 51.279722°N 1.083056°E / 51.279722; 1.083056
Location	Canterbury, Kent
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Website	http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org
History
Consecrated	1070
Architecture
Style	Romanesque, Gothic
Years built	1070-1834 (last major alteration)
Specifications
Length	157 metres (515 ft)
Nave length	178 feet (54 m)
Choir length	180 feet (55 m)
Nave width	71 feet (22 m)
Nave height	80 feet (24 m)
Choir height	71 feet (22 m)
Number of towers	3
Tower height	72 metres (236 ft) (crossing)[1]
Number of spires	1 (now lost)
Spire height	58 metres (190 ft) (north west tower - demolished 1705)
Administration
Diocese	Canterbury (since 1072)
Province	Canterbury
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Archbishop Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop Trevor Willmott Bishop in Canterbury
Dean	The Very Revd Robert Willis
Precentor	The Revd David Mackenzie Mills
Canon(s)	The Ven. Sheila Watson (Archdeacon of Canterbury) The Revd Canon Edward Condry The Revd Canon Clare Edwards The Revd Canon Christopher Irvine
Archdeacon	The Ven. Sheila Watson

The archiepiscopal throne in Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury.

Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt 1070-77. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the twelfth century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late fourteenth century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures.

History[link]

Foundation[link]

The cathedral's first archbishop was Augustine of Canterbury, previously abbot of St. Andrew's Benedictine Abbey in Rome. He was sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 596 as a missionary to the Anglo-Saxons. Augustine founded the cathedral in 597 and dedicated it to Jesus Christ, the Holy Saviour.^[2]

Augustine also founded the Abbey of St. Peter and Paul outside the city walls. This was later rededicated to St. Augustine himself and was for many centuries the burial place of the successive archbishops. The abbey is part of the World Heritage Site of Canterbury, along with the cathedral and the ancient Church of St. Martin.

Anglo-Saxon cathedral[link]

Bede recorded that Augustine reused a former Roman church. The oldest remains found during excavations beneath the present nave in 1993 were, however, parts of the foundations of an Anglo-Saxon building, which had been constructed across a Roman road.^[3][4] They indicate that the original church consisted of a nave, possibly with a narthex, and side-chapels to the north and south. A smaller subsidiary building was found to the south-west of these foundations.^[4]

During the ninth or tenth century this church was replaced by a larger structure (49 m. by 23 m.) with a squared west end. It appears to have had a square central tower.^[4] The eleventh century chronicler Eadmer, who had known the Saxon cathedral as a boy, wrote that, in its arrangement, it resembled St Peter's in Rome, indicating that it was of basilican form, with an eastern apse.^[5]

During the reforms of Archbishop St. Dunstan (c909-988), a Benedictine abbey named Christ Church Priory was added to the cathedral. But the formal establishment as a monastery seems to date to c.997 and the community only became fully monastic from Lanfranc's time onwards (with monastic constitutions addressed by him to prior Henry). St. Dunstan was buried on the south side of the High Altar.

The cathedral was badly damaged during Danish raids on Canterbury in 1011. The Archbishop, Alphege, was held hostage by the raiders and eventually killed at Greenwich on 19 April 1012, the first of Canterbury's five martyred archbishops. After this Lyfing (1013–1020) and Aethelnoth (1020–1038) added a western apse as an oratory of St. Mary.

The 1993 excavations revealed that the apse was polygonal and flanked by hexagonal towers, forming a westwork. It housed the archbishop's throne, with an altar of St Mary just to the east. The arcade walls were strengthened and towers added to the eastern corners at around the time the westwork was built.^[4]

Norman period[link]

The cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1067, a year after the Norman Conquest. Rebuilding began in 1070 under the first Norman archbishop, Lanfranc (1070–1077). He cleared the ruins and reconstructed the cathedral to a design based closely on that of the Abbey of St. Etienne in Caen, where he had previously been abbot, using stone brought from France. The new church was a cruciform building, with an aisled nave of nine bays, a pair of towers at the west end, transepts with apsidal chapels, a low crossing tower, and a short choir ending in three apses. It was dedicated in 1077.^[6]

Following the election of Prior Ernulf in 1096, Lanfranc's inadequate east end was demolished, and replaced with an eastern arm 198 feet long, doubling the length of the cathedral. It was raised above a large and elaborately decorated crypt. Ernulf was succeeded as prior in 1107 by Conrad, who completed the work by 1126. The new choir took the form of a complete church in itself, with its own transepts; the east end was semicircular in plan, with three chapels opening off an ambulatory^[6]

As with many Romanesque church buildings, the interior of the choir was richly embellished.^[7] William of Malmesbury wrote: "Nothing like it could be seen in England either for the light of its glass windows, the gleaming of its marble pavements, or the many-coloured paintings which led the eyes to the panelled ceiling above."^[7]

Though named after the sixth century founding archbishop, The Chair of St. Augustine may date from the Norman period. Its first recorded use is in 1205.

Martyrdom of Thomas Becket[link]

Image of Thomas Becket from a stained glass window

A pivotal moment in the history of Canterbury Cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket in the north-west transept (also known as the Martydom) on Tuesday 29 December 1170 by knights of King Henry II. The king had frequent conflicts with the strong-willed Becket and is said to have exclaimed in frustration, "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?" The knights took it literally and murdered Becket in his own cathedral. Becket was the second of four Archbishops of Canterbury who were murdered (see also Alphege).

The income from pilgrims (some of whose journeys are described in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales") who visited Becket's shrine, which was regarded as a place of healing, largely paid for the subsequent rebuilding of the Cathedral and its associated buildings. This revenue included the sale of pilgrim badges depicting Becket, his martyrdom, or his shrine.

The shrine was removed in 1538. Henry VIII summoned the dead saint to court to face charges of treason. In his absence, he was found guilty, and the treasures of his shrine confiscated, carried away in two coffers and twenty-six carts.^[8]

Rebuilding of the choir[link]

The 12th century choir

In September 1174 the choir was severely damaged by fire, necessitating a major reconstruction,^[9] the progress of which was recorded in detail by a monk named Gervase.^[10] The crypt survived the fire intact,^[11] and it was found possible to retain the outer walls, which were increased in height by 12 feet (3.7 m) in the course of the rebuilding, but with the round-headed form of their windows left unchanged. ^[12] Everything else was replaced in the new Gothic style, with pointed arches, rib vaulting and flying buttresses. The limestone used was imported from Caen in Normandy, and Purbeck marble was used for the shafting. The choir was back in use by 1180, and in that year the remains of St Dunstan and St Alphege were moved there from the crypt.^[9]

The master-mason appointed to rebuild the choir was a Frenchman, Willam of Sens. Following his injury in a fall from the scaffolding in 1179 he was replaced by one of his former assistants, known as "William the Englishman".^[9]

In 1180-4, in place of the old, square-ended, eastern chapel, the present Trinity chapel was constructed, a broad extension with an ambulatory designed to house the shrine of St Thomas Becket. A further chapel, circular in plan, was added beyond that to house further relics of Becket,^[9] widely believed to have included the top of his skull, struck off in the course of his assassination. This latter chapel became known as the "Corona" or "Beckett's Crown".^[13]These new parts east of the choir transepts were was raised on a higher crypt than Ernulf's choir, necessitating flights of steps between the two levels. Work was completed in 1184, although the shrine was not installed until 1220.^[9] Over time other significant burials took place in this area such as those of Edward Plantagenet (The 'Black Prince') and King Henry IV.

Monastic buildings[link]

Plan of Canterbury Cathedral showing the richly complicated ribbing of the Perpendicular vaulting in the nave and transepts

A bird's-eye view of Canterbury Cathedral and its monastic buildings, made in about 1165^[14] and known as the "waterworks plan" is preserved in the Eadwine Psalter in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge.^[15] It shows the same general principles of arrangement common to all Benedictine monasteries, although, unusually, the cloister and monastic buildings were to the north, rather than the south of the church. There was a separate chapter-house.^[14]

The buildings formed separate groups. Around the church. Adjoining it, on the north side, stood the cloister and the group of buildings devoted to the monastic life. To the east and west of these were those devoted to the exercise of hospitality.^[14]

To the north a large open court divided the monastic buildings from menial ones, such as the stables, granaries, barn, bakehouse, brew house and laundries, inhabited by the lay servants of the establishment. At the greatest possible distance from the church, beyond the precinct of the monastery, was the eleemosynary department. The almonry for the relief of the poor, with a great hall annexed, formed the paupers' hospitium.^[14]

The group of buildings devoted to monastic life included two cloisters. The great cloister was surrounded by the buildings essentially connected with the daily life of the monks,-- the church to the south, with the refectory placed as always on the side opposite, the dormitory, raised on a vaulted undercroft, and the chapter-house adjacent, and the lodgings of the cellarer, responsible for providing both monks and guests with food, to the west. A passage under the dormitory lead eastwards to the smaller or infirmary cloister, appropriated to sick and infirm monks.^[14]

The hall and chapel of the infirmary extended east of this cloister, resembling in form and arrangement the nave and chancel of an aisled church. Beneath the dormitory, overlooking the green court or herbarium, lay the "pisalis" or "calefactory," the common room of the monks. At its north-east corner access was given from the dormitory to the necessarium, a building in the form of a Norman hall, 145 ft (44 m) long by 25 broad (44.2 m × 7.6 m), containing fifty-five seats. It was constructed with careful regard to hygiene, with a stream of water running through it from end to end.^[14]

A second smaller dormitory for the conventual officers ran from east to west . Close to the refectory, but outside the cloisters, were the domestic offices connected with it: to the north, the kitchen, 47 ft (14 m) square (200 m2), with a pyramidal roof, and the kitchen court; to the west, the butteries, pantries, etc. The infirmary had a small kitchen of its own. Opposite the refectory door in the cloister were two lavatories, where the monks washed before and after eating.^[14]

The buildings devoted to hospitality were divided into three groups. The prior's group "entered at the south-east angle of the green court, placed near the most sacred part of the cathedral, as befitting the distinguished ecclesiastics or nobility who were assigned to him." The cellarer's buildings, where ordinary visitors of the middle class were entertained, were near the west end of the nave, . The inferior pilgrims and paupers were relegated to the north hall or almonry, just within the gate.^[14]

Priors of Christ Church Priory included John of Sittingbourne (elected 1222, previously a monk of the priory) and [[William Chillenden]], (elected 1264, previously monk and treasurer of the priory).^[16] The monastery was granted the right to elect their own prior if the seat was vacant by the pope, and — from Gregory IX onwards — the right to a free election (though with the archbishop overseeing their choice). Monks of the priory have included Æthelric I, Æthelric II, Walter d'Eynsham, Reginald fitz Jocelin (admitted as a confrater shortly before his death), Nigel de Longchamps and Ernulf. The monks often put forward candidates for Archbishop of Canterbury, either from among their number or outside, since the archbishop was nominally their abbot, but this could lead to clashes with the king and/or pope should they put forward a different man — examples are the elections of Baldwin of Forde and Thomas Cobham.

Fourteenth to sixteenth centuries[link]

The Perpendicular-style nave

Early in the fourteenth century, Prior Eastry erected a stone choir screen, and his successor, Prior Oxenden inserted a large five-light window into St Anselm's chapel.^[17]

In 1377, work began on replacing the Norman nave and transepts, and crossing piers. The old apsidal transept chapels were retained, until their replacement in the following century. The nave was demolished, and rebuilt from the west end, in the Perpendicular style, with the aisle arches exceptionally high in proportion to the clerestory. Transepts, aisles and nave were roofed with lierne vaults, enriched with bosses. Most of the work was done during the priorate of Thomas Chillenden (1391–1411):^[17] Chillenden also built a choir screen at the east end of the nave, into which Eastry's screen was incorporated.^[17]

The cathedral was seriously damaged by the severe earthquake of 1382, losing its bells and campanile.

A shortage of money, and the priority given to the rebuilding of the cloisters and chapter-house meant that the rebuilding of the west towers was neglected. The south-west tower was not rebuilt until 1458, and the Norman north-west tower survived until 1834, when it was replaced by a replica of its Perpendicular companion.^[17]

Around 1430 the south transept apse was removed to make way for a chapel, founded by Lady Margaret Holland and dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. The apse of the north transept was replaced by a Lady Chapel, built in 1448-55.^[17]

The 235 foot crossing tower was begun in 1433, although preparations had been made during Chillenden's priorate, when the piers had been reinforced. Further strengthening was found necessary around the beginning of the sixteenth century, when buttressing arches were added under the southern and western tower arches. The tower is often known as the "Angel Steeple", after a gilded angel that one stood on on of its pinnacles.^[17]

Dissolution of the monastery[link]

The west front in 1821 showing the Norman north west tower prior to rebuilding, (coloured engraving)

The cathedral ceased to be an abbey during the Dissolution of the Monasteries when all religious houses were suppressed. Canterbury surrendered in March 1539, and reverted to its previous status of 'a college of secular canons'. The New Foundation came into being on 8 April 1541.^[18]

In 1688, the joiner Roger Davis, citizen of London, removed the 13th century misericords and replaced them with two rows of his own work on each side of the choir. Some of Davis's misericords have a distinctly medieval flavour and he may have copied some of the original designs. When Sir George Gilbert Scott performed his renovations in the 19th century, he ripped out the front row of Davis misericords, replacing them with his own designs, which themselves seem to contain many copies of the misericords at Gloucester Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral and New College, Oxford.

Eighteenth century to the present[link]

The original Norman northwest tower, which had a lead spire until 1705,^[19] was demolished in 1834, due to structural concerns.^[17] It was replaced with a Perpendicular-style twin of the southwest tower, now known as the "Arundel Tower"'. This was the last major structural alteration to the cathedral to be made.

The cathedral is the Regimental Church of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.

Canterbury Cathedral Appeal[link]

Icon of the Melanesian Martyrs at Canterbury Cathedral

In 2006, a new fundraising appeal to raise £50 million was launched to much media attention under the dramatic banner Save Canterbury Cathedral.

The Canterbury Cathedral Appeal was launched to protect and enhance Canterbury Cathedral's future as a religious, heritage and cultural centre. Every five years the cathedral carries out a major structural review. The last so-called Quinquennial made it very clear that a combination of centuries of weathering, pollution and constant use had taken its toll on the building and there were some serious problems at Canterbury Cathedral that needed urgent action.

Much of the cathedral's stonework is damaged and crumbling, the roofs are leaking and much of the stained glass is badly corroded. It is thought that if action is not taken now, the rate of decay and damage being inflicted on the building will increase dramatically with potentially disastrous results, including closure of large sections of the cathedral in order to guarantee the safety of the million plus worshippers, pilgrims and tourists who visit the cathedral every year. As well as restoring much of the historic beauty of the cathedral, the appeal aims to fund enhancements to visitor facilities and investment to build on the cathedral's significant musical tradition.

By November 2008, the current appeal had raised more than £9 million. Previous major appeals were run in the 1950s and 1970s.

In the summer of 2009, stones in the South West Transept were discovered to have cracked around several iron braces surrounding the Great South Window. The cracks are presumed to be the result of the metal expanding and contracting in hot and cold weather, and have severely compromised the structure of the window. The transept was immediately closed, in case the window were to collapse, while scaffolding was erected, and the area immediately in front of the inside of the window was closed off and covered, to maintain access via the south door beneath it. This area was given restoration priority immediately after the structural damage was discovered.

The Foundation[link]

The Norman crypt

The Foundation is the authorised staffing establishment of the cathedral, few of whom are clergy. The head of the cathedral is the dean, currently the Very Reverend Robert Willis, who is assisted by a chapter of 24 canons, four of whom are residentiary, the others being honorary appointments of senior clergy in the diocese. There are also a number of lay canons who altogether form the greater chapter which has the legal responsibility both for the cathedral itself and also for the formal election of an archbishop when there is a vacancy-in-see. By English law and custom they may only elect the person who has been nominated by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. The Foundation also includes the choristers, lay clerks, organists, King's Scholars, the Six Preachers and a range of other officers; some of these posts are moribund, such as that of the cathedral barber. The cathedral has a full-time work force of 300 making it one of the largest employers in the district and in addition also has approximately 800 volunteers.

Bells[link]

Great Dunstan

The cathedral has a total of twenty one bells in the three towers:

The South West Tower (Oxford Tower) contains the cathedral’s main ring of bells, hung for change ringing in the English style. There are fourteen bells – a ring of twelve with two semi-tones, which allow for ringing on ten, eight or six bells while still remaining in tune. All of the bells were cast in 1981 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry from seven bells of the old peal of twelve with new metal added, and re-hung in a new frame. The length (draught) of the ropes was increased by lowering the floor of the ringing chamber to the level of the south aisle vault at the same time. The heaviest bell of this ring weighs 34cwt (1.72 tonnes). The ringers practice on Thursday at 7.30pm.

The North West Tower (Arundel Tower) contains the cathedral’s clock chime. The five quarter chimes were taken from the old peal of twelve in the Oxford Tower (where the clock was originally), and hung from beams in the Arundel Tower. The chimes are stuck on the eighth Gregorian tone, which is also used at Merton College, Oxford. The hour is struck on Great Dunstan, the largest bell in Kent 63cwt (3.2 tonnes), which is also swung on Sunday mornings for Matins.

In 1316 Prior Henry of Eastry, probably the Cathedral’s greatest single benefactor, gave a large bell dedicated to St Thomas, which weighed 71½ cwt (3.63 tonnes). Later, in 1343, Prior Hathbrand gave bells dedicated to Jesus and St Dunstan. At this time the bells in campanile were rehung and their names recorded as “Jesus”, “Dunstan”, “Mary”, “Crundale”, “Elphy” (Alphege) and “Thomas”.

In the great earthquake of 1382 the campanile fell, destroying the first three named bells. Following its reconstruction, the other three bells were rehung, together with two others, of whose casting no record remains.

The oldest bell in the cathedral is Bell Harry, which hangs in a cage atop the central tower to which the bell lends its name. This bell was cast in 1635, and is struck at 8am and 9pm every day to announce the opening and closing of the cathedral respectively, and also occasionally for services as a Sanctus bell.^[20]

Library[link]

The cathedral library has a collection of about 30,000 books and pamphlets printed before the 20th century and about 20,000 later books and serials. Many of the earlier books were acquired as part of donated collections. It is rich in church history, older theology, British history (including local history), travel, science and medicine, and the anti-slavery movement. The library's holdings are included in the online catalogue of the library of the University of Kent.^[21]

Organs and organists[link]

Organ[link]

Details of the organ from the National Pipe Organ Register

Organists[link]

Assistant organists[link]

• William Henry Longhurst 1836 - 1873 (then organist)
• John Browning Lott 1873 - 1875 (later organist of Lichfield Cathedral)
• Herbert Austin Fricker 1884 - 1890^[23]
• J. Sterndale Grundy 1892 - ?
• W. T. Harvey 1906 - 1909
• Frank Charles Butcher
• Rene Soames 1918 - 1926^[24]
• Henry Frank Cole 1936 - 1938
• John Malcolm Tyler 1953 - 1956^[25]
• Gwilym Isaac 1956 - left 1964 (CCA-DCc-CA23)^{[clarification needed]}
• Stephen Crisp 1964 - 1967 (CCA-DCc-CA23)
• Philip Moore 1968 - 1974 (later organist of York Minster)
• Stephen Darlington 1974 - 1978 (subsequently Master of Music, St Albans Cathedral, then Organist, Christ Church, Oxford)
• David Flood 1978 - 1986
• Michael Harris 1986 - 1996 (subsequently Organist and Master of the Music at St Giles' Cathedral)
• Timothy Noon 1997 - 2001 (later organist of St. David's Cathedral)
• Matthew Martin 2001 - 2004
• Robert Patterson 2005 - 2008
• John Robinson 2008 - 2010
• Simon Lawford (acting assistant) September 2010–present
• David Newsholme 2011

See also[link]

Anglicanism portal

• Anglican Communion
• Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England
• English Gothic architecture
• History of the Church of England
• List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
• List of Deans of Canterbury Cathedral
• List of Priors of Canterbury Cathedral
• Poor Man's Bible
• Religion in the United Kingdom
• Henry Yevele

References[link]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abbey/Canterbury Cathedral". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Bibliography[link]

• Babington, Margaret (1955). The Romance of Canterbury Cathedral. Raphael Tuck. 
• Cook, G. H. (1949). Portrait of Canterbury Cathedral. London: Phoenix House. 
• Iremonger, F. A. (1948). William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury - his life and letters. Oxford University Press. 
• Purcell, William (1969). Fisher of Lambeth: a portrait from life. Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-02938-2. 
• Willis, Robert (1845). The Architectural History of Canterbury Cathedral. London: Longman. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=v1kgAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq. 
• Withers, Hartley (1897). The Cathedral Church of Canterbury. Bell's Cathedral Series (2nd revised ed.). London: George Bell. 
• Collinson, Patrick; Ramsay, Nigel & Sparks, Margaret, ed. (2002) [1995]. A History of Canterbury Cathedral (revised ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-820051-X. 

Further reading[link]

• Sparks, Margaret & Brayshaw, Karen (2011) The Library of Canterbury Cathedral. Canterbury: Friends of Canterbury Cathedral ISBN 978-0-906211-63-2

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Canterbury Cathedral

• Official website
• Virtual Tour of Canterbury Cathedral
• The Canterbury Gift
• Sacred Destinations: Canterbury Cathedral
• Details on bell towers
• History of choir school and choristers
• Canterbury Cathedral on Adrian Fletcher’s Paradoxplace
• Flickr images tagged Canterbury Cathedral
• BBC news item re. Caen stone sourced for cathedral repairs
• Photos and plans of Canterbury Cathedral
• Medieval Stained Glass of Canterbury Cathedral

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Coordinates: 51°16′30″N 1°05′13″E / 51.275°N 1.087°E / 51.275; 1.087

Canterbury
Canterbury lies on the Great Stour river
Canterbury  Canterbury shown within Kent
Population	43,431 (2001)
OS grid reference	TR145575
- London	62.8 miles
District	Canterbury
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CANTERBURY
Postcode district	CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4
Dialling code	01227
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Canterbury
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Canterbury (ⁱ/ˈkæntərbᵊri/ or /ˈkæntərbɛri/)^[1] is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour.

Originally a Brythonic settlement, it was renamed Durovernum Cantiacorum by the Roman conquerors in the 1st century AD. After it became the chief Jutish settlement, it gained its English name Canterbury, itself derived from the Old English Cantwareburh ("Kent people's stronghold"). After the Kingdom of Kent's conversion to Christianity in 597, St Augustine founded an episcopal see in the city and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, a position that now heads the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion (though the modern-day Province of Canterbury covers the entire south of England). Thomas Becket's murder at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 led to the cathedral becoming a place of pilgrimage for Christians worldwide. This pilgrimage provided the theme for Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century literary classic The Canterbury Tales. The literary heritage continued with the birth of the playwright Christopher Marlowe in the city in the 16th century.

Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most famous religious structures in the world.

Parts of the city have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many historical structures remain, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and a Norman castle, and perhaps the oldest school in England, The King's School. Modern additions include the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, the Marlowe Theatre, and the St Lawrence Ground, home to Kent County Cricket Club. The city lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district.

Canterbury is a popular tourist destination: consistently one of the most-visited cities in the United Kingdom,^[2] the city's economy is heavily reliant upon tourism. There is also a substantial student population, brought about by the presence of two universities. Canterbury is, however, a relatively small city, when compared with other British cities.

History[link]

History of Canterbury redirects here. For the history of the regional area of this name in New Zealand, see History of the Canterbury Region.

Early history[link]

St. Augustine's Abbey, which forms part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, was where Christianity was brought to England.

The Canterbury area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Lower Paleolithic axes, and Neolithic and Bronze Age pots have been found in the area.^[3] Canterbury was first recorded as the main settlement of the Celtic tribe, the Cantiaci, which inhabited most of modern day Kent. In the 1st century AD, the Romans captured the settlement, and named it Durovernum Cantiacorum, meaning "stronghold of the Cantiaci by the alder grove".^[4] The Romans rebuilt the city, with new streets in a grid pattern, a theatre, a temple, a forum and public baths. In the late 3rd century, to defend against attack from barbarians, the Romans built around the city an earth bank and a wall with seven gates, which enclosed an area of 130 acres (53 ha).^[5]

St. Augustine's Abbey gateway

After the Romans left Britain in 410 AD, Durovernum Cantiacorum was abandoned, apart from a few farmers, and gradually decayed.^[6] Over the next 100 years, an Anglo-Saxon community formed within the city walls, as Jutish refugees arrived, possibly intermarrying with the locals.^[7] The Jutes named the city Cantwaraburh, meaning "Kent people's stronghold".^[8] In 597 AD, Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine to convert King Æthelberht of Kent to Christianity. After the conversion, Canterbury, as a Roman town, was chosen by Augustine as the centre for an episcopal see in Kent, and an abbey and cathedral were built. Augustine thus became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.^[9] The town's new importance led to its revival, and trades developed in pottery, textiles and leather. By 630, gold coins were being struck at the Canterbury mint.^[10] In 672 the Synod of Hertford gave the see of Canterbury authority over the entire English Church.^[8]

In 842 and 851, Canterbury suffered great loss of life during Danish raids. In 978, Archbishop Dunstan refounded the abbey built by Augustine, and named it St Augustine's Abbey.^[11] A second wave of Danish attacks began in 991, and in 1011 the cathedral was burnt and Archbishop Alphege was killed. Remembering the destruction caused by the Danes, the inhabitants of Canterbury did not resist William the Conqueror's invasion in 1066.^[8] William immediately ordered a wooden motte-and-bailey castle to be built by the Roman city wall. In the early 12th century, the castle was rebuilt with stone.^[12]

After the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket at the cathedral in 1170, Canterbury became one of the most notable towns in Europe, as pilgrims from all parts of Christendom came to visit his shrine.^[13] This pilgrimage provided the framework for Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century collection of stories, The Canterbury Tales.

Canterbury is associated with several saints from this period who lived in Canterbury:

• Saint Augustine of Canterbury
• Saint Anselm of Canterbury
• Saint Thomas Becket
• Saint Mellitus
• Saint Theodore of Tarsus
• Saint Dunstan
• Saint Adrian of Canterbury
• Saint Alphege
• Saint Æthelberht of Kent

14th–17th centuries[link]

Huguenot weavers' houses near the High Street

The Black Death hit Canterbury in 1348. At 10,000, Canterbury had the 10th largest population in England; by the early 16th century, the population had fallen to 3,000. In 1363, during the Hundred Years' War, a Commission of Inquiry found that disrepair, stone-robbing and ditch-filling had led to the Roman wall becoming eroded. Between 1378 and 1402, the wall was virtually rebuilt, and new wall towers were added.^[14] In 1381, during the Peasants' Revolt, the castle and Archbishop's Palace were sacked, and Archbishop Sudbury was beheaded in London. Sudbury is still remembered annually by the Christmas mayoral procession to his tomb at Canterbury Cathedral. In 1413 Henry IV became the only sovereign to be buried at the cathedral. In 1448 Canterbury was granted a City Charter, which gave it a mayor and a high sheriff; the city still has a Lord Mayor and Sheriff.^[15] In 1504 the cathedral's main tower, the Bell Harry Tower, was completed, ending 400 years of building.

The Westgate is the largest surviving city gate in England. It survived a demolition attempt for a road-widening scheme in Victorian times.

During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the city's priory, nunnery and three friaries were closed. St Augustine's Abbey, the 14th richest in England at the time, was surrendered to the Crown, and its church and cloister were levelled. The rest of the abbey was dismantled over the next 15 years, although part of the site was converted to a palace.^[16] Thomas Becket's shrine in the Cathedral was demolished and all the gold, silver and jewels were removed to the Tower of London, and Becket's images, name and feasts were obliterated throughout the kingdom, ending the pilgrimages.

By the 17th century, Canterbury's population was 5,000; of whom 2,000 were French-speaking Protestant Huguenots, who had begun fleeing persecution and war in the Spanish Netherlands in the mid-16th century. The Huguenots introduced silk weaving into the city, which by 1676 had outstripped wool weaving.^[17]

In 1620 Robert Cushman negotiated the lease of the Mayflower at 59 Palace Street for the purpose of transporting the Pilgrims to America.

In 1647, during the English Civil War, riots broke out when Canterbury's puritan mayor banned church services on Christmas Day. The rioters' trial the following year led to a Kent revolt against the Parliamentarian forces, contributing to the start of the second phase of the war. However, Canterbury surrendered peacefully to the Parliamentarians after their victory at the Battle of Maidstone.^[18]

Canterbury Castle fell into disrepair.

18th century–present[link]

The Buttermarket, Canterbury

The city's first newspaper, the Kentish Post, was founded in 1717.^[19] It merged with the newly founded Kentish Gazette in 1768.^[20]

By 1770, the castle had fallen into disrepair, and many parts of it were demolished during the late 18th century and early 19th century.^[21] In 1787 all the gates in the city wall, except for Westgate – the city jail – were demolished as a result of a commission that found them impeding to new coach travel.^[22] By 1820 the city's silk industry had been killed by imported Indian muslins.^[17] The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, the world's first passenger railway, was opened in 1830.^[23] Between 1830 and 1900, the city's population grew from 15,000 to 24,000.^[23] Canterbury Prison was opened in 1808 just outside the city boundary.^[24]

During the First World War, a number of barracks and voluntary hospitals were set up around the city, and in 1917 a German bomber crash-landed near Broad Oak Road.^[25] During the Second World War, 10,445 bombs dropped during 135 separate raids destroyed 731 homes and 296 other buildings in the city, including the Simon Langton Grammar Schools, and 115 people were killed.^[26] The most devastating raid was on 1 June 1942 during the Baedeker Blitz.^[25]

Before the end of the war, architect Charles Holden drew up plans to redevelop the city centre, but locals were so opposed that the Citizens' Defence Association was formed and swept to power in the 1945 municipal elections. Rebuilding of the city centre eventually began 10 years after the war.^[27] A ring road was constructed in stages outside the city walls some time afterwards to alleviate growing traffic problems in the city centre, which was later pedestrianised. The biggest expansion of the city occurred in the 1960s, with the arrival of the University of Kent at Canterbury and Christ Church College.^[27]

The 1980s saw visits from Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II, and the beginning of the annual Canterbury Festival.^[28] Canterbury received its own radio station in CTFM, now KMFM Canterbury, in 1997. Between 1999 and 2005, the Whitefriars shopping centre underwent major redevelopment. In 2000, during the redevelopment, a major archaeological project was undertaken by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, known as the Big Dig,^[29] which was supported by Channel Four's Time Team.^[30]

Another famous visitor was Mahatma Gandhi, who came to the city^[31] in October 1931; he met^[32] Hewlett Johnson, then Dean of Canterbury.

Governance[link]

Since 1987, the Member of Parliament for the Canterbury constituency, which includes Whitstable, has been the Conservative Julian Brazier.^[33] At the 2005 general election, the Conservatives won a majority of 7,471 and 44.4% of the vote in the Canterbury constituency. Labour won 28.7% of the vote, Liberal Democrats 21.1%, the Green Party 3.2%, United Kingdom Independence Party 1.9%, and the Legalise Cannabis Alliance 0.7%.^[34]

Canterbury, along with Whitstable and Herne Bay, is in the City of Canterbury local government district. The city's urban area consists of the six electoral wards of Barton, Harbledown, Northgate, St Stephens, Westgate, and Wincheap. These wards have fifteen of the fifty seats on the Canterbury City Council. Twelve of these seats are held by the Liberal Democrats and three by the Conservatives.

The city became a county corporate in 1461, and later a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888. In 1974 it lost its status as the smallest county borough in England, after the Local Government Act 1972, and came under the control of Kent County Council.

Geography[link]

Canterbury's City Walls

Canterbury is located at 51°16′30″N 1°05′13″E / 51.275°N 1.08694°E / 51.275; 1.08694 (51.275, 1.087) in east Kent, about 55 miles (89 km) east-southeast of London. The coastal towns of Herne Bay and Whitstable are 6 miles (10 km) to the north, and Faversham is 8 miles (13 km) to the northwest. Nearby villages include Rough Common, Sturry and Tyler Hill. The civil parish of Thanington Without is to the southwest; the rest of the city is unparished. Harbledown, Wincheap and Hales Place are suburbs of the city.

The city is on the River Stour or Great Stour, flowing from its source at Lenham north-east through Ashford to the English Channel at Sandwich. The river divides south east of the city, one branch flowing though the city, the other around the position of the former walls. The two branches rejoin or are linked several times, but finally recombine around the town of Fordwich, on the edge of the marshland north east of the city. The Stour is navigable on the tidal section to Fordwich, although above this point canoes and other small craft can be used. Punts and rowed river boats are available for hire in Canterbury. ^[35] The geology of the area consists mainly of brickearth overlying chalk. Tertiary sands overlain by London clay form St. Thomas's Hill and St. Stephen's Hill about a mile northwest of the city centre.^[36]

Demography[link]

As of the 2001 UK census,^{[37][38][39][40][41][42]} the total population of the city's urban area wards was 43,432.

Residents of the city had an average age of 37.1 years, younger than the 40.2 average throughout the district and the 38.6 average for England. Of the 17,536 households, 35% were one-person households, 39% were couples, 10% were lone parents, and 15% other. Of those aged 16–74 in the city, 27% had a higher education qualification, higher than the 20% national average.

Compared with the rest of England, the city had an above-average proportion of foreign-born residents, at around 12%. Ninety-five percent of residents were recorded as white; the largest minority group was recorded as Asian, at 1.8% of the population. Religion was recorded as 68.2% Christian, 1.1% Muslim, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.8% Hindu, 0.2% Jewish, and 0.1% Sikh. The rest either had no religion, an alternative religion, or did not state their religion.

Economy[link]

The Whitefriars shopping area.

Canterbury district retains approximately 4,761 businesses, up to 60,000 full- and part-time employees and was worth £1.3 billion in 2001.^[43] This makes the district the second largest economy in Kent.^[43] Unemployment in the city has dropped significantly since 2001 owing to the opening of the Whitefriars shopping complex which introduced thousands of job opportunities.^[44] In April 2008, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, controversially demanded that salary caps should be implemented to curb the pay of the rich in an attempt to manage the growth of the economy.^[45] The city's economy benefits mainly from significant economic projects such as the Canterbury Enterprise Hub, Lakesview International Business Park and the Whitefriars retail development.^[43] Tourism contributes £258M to the Canterbury economy and has been a "cornerstone of the local economy" for a number of years; Canterbury Cathedral alone generates over one million visitors a year.^[43] Canterbury has a high per capita GDP, it is higher than the Kent average of $42,500 at $51,900 making it one of the wealthiest towns in the South East. The registered unemployment rate as of September 2011 stands at 5.7%.

Culture[link]

Landmarks[link]

Canterbury Cathedral is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Canterbury Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Founded in 597 AD by Augustine, it forms a World Heritage Site, along with the Saxon St. Martin's Church and the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey. With one million visitors per year, it is one of the most visited places in the country. Services are held at the Cathedral three or more times a day.^[46][47]

The Roman Museum houses an in situ mosaic pavement dating from around 300 CE.^[48] Surviving structures from the Roman times include Queningate, a blocked gate in the city wall, and the Dane John Mound, once part of a Roman cemetery.^[49] The Dane John Gardens were built beside the mound in the 18th century, and a memorial was placed on the mound's summit.^[50] A windmill was on the mound between 1731 and 1839.

The ruins of the Norman Canterbury Castle and St Augustine's Abbey are both open to the public. The medieval St Margaret's Church now houses the "The Canterbury Tales", in which life-sized character models reconstruct Geoffrey Chaucer's stories. The Westgate is now a museum relating to its history as a jail. The medieval church of St Alphege became redundant in 1982 but had a new lease of life as the Canterbury Urban Studies Centre, later renamed the Canterbury Environment Centre; the building is used by the King's School. The Old Synagogue at Canterbury, now the King's School Music Room, is one of only two Egyptian Revival synagogues still standing. The city centre contains many timber-framed 16th- and 17th -century houses, including the "Old Weaver's House" used by the Huguenots.^[51] St Martin's Mill is the only surviving mill out of the six known to have stood in Canterbury. It was built in 1817 and worked until 1890; it is now a house conversion.^[52]

The Museum of Canterbury, houses many exhibits, with one of them being the Rupert Bear Museum. The Herne Bay Times has reported that the Heritage at Risk Register includes 19 listed buildings in Canterbury which need urgent repair but for which the council has insufficient funds.^[53]

Theatres[link]

Dane John Gardens. The Dane John Mound, in the background, is the site of a Normal motte-and-bailey castle, constructed on a Roman burial mound.

The city's theatre and concert hall is the Marlowe Theatre named after Christopher Marlowe, who was born in the city in Elizabethan times. He was baptised in the city's St George's Church, which was destroyed during the Second World War.^[54] The old Marlowe Theatre was located in St Margaret's Street and housed a repertory theatre. The Gulbenkian Theatre, at the University grounds, also serves the city, housing also a cinema and café.^[55] The Marlowe Theatre has now been completely rebuilt, fully opening in October 2011.

Besides the two theatres, theatrical performances take place at several areas of the city, for instance the Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey. The premiere of Murder in the Cathedral by T. S. Eliot took place at Canterbury Cathedral.^[56]

The oldest surviving Tudor theatre in Canterbury is now Casey's Bar, formerly known as The Shakespeare Pub. There are several theatre groups based in Canterbury, including the University of Kent Students' Union's T24 Drama Society, The Canterbury Players^[57] and Kent Youth Theatre.

The Marlowe Theatre[link]

The redeveloped Marlowe Theatre will become the largest theatre in the region, offering touring productions and concerts. The programme includes musicals, drama, ballet, contemporary dance, classical orchestras, opera, children's shows, pantomime, stand-up comedy and concerts. There is also be a second performance space called The Marlowe Studio, dedicated to creative activity and the programming of new work. This theatre offers three bars with views of the city, a restaurant and a riverside terrace. It re-opened to audiences on 4 October 2011, with tickets on-sale from March 2011.^[58]

Music[link]

The Cathedral[link]

Medieval[link]

Polyphonic music written for the monks of Christ Church Priory (the Cathedral) survives from the 13th century. The Cathedral may have had an organ as early as the 12th century,^[59] though the names of organists are only recorded from the early 15th century.^[60] One of the earliest named composers associated with Canterbury Cathedral was Leonel Power, who was appointed master of the new Lady Chapel choir formed in 1438.

Post-Reformation[link]

The Reformation brought a period of decline in the Cathedral's music which was revived under Dean Thomas Neville in the early 17th century. Neville introduced instrumentalists into the Cathedral's music who played cornett and sackbut, probably members of the city's band of waits. The Cathedral acquired sets of recorders, lutes and viols for the use of the choir boys and lay-clerks.^[59]

The City[link]

Early modern[link]

As was common in English cities in the Middle Ages, Canterbury employed a town band known as the Waits. There are records of payments to the Waits starting from 1402, though they probably existed earlier than this. The Waits were disbanded by the city authorities in 1641 for 'misdemeanors' but were reinstated in 1660 when they played for the visit of King Charles II on his return from exile.^[61] Waits were eventually abolished nationally by the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835. A modern early music group called The Canterbury Waits has revived the name.^[62]

The Canterbury Catch Club was a musical and social club which met in the city between 1779 and 1865. The club (male only) met weekly in the winter. It employed an orchestra to assist in performances in the first half of the evening. After the interval, the members sang catches and glees from the club's extensive music library (now deposited at the Cathedral Archives in Canterbury).^[63]

Contemporary[link]

The city gave its name to a musical genre known as the Canterbury Sound or Canterbury Scene, a group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians established within the city during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some very notable Canterbury bands were Soft Machine, Caravan, Matching Mole, Egg, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Gilgamesh, Soft Heap, Khan, Camel and In Cahoots. Over the years, with band membership changes and new bands evolving, the term has been used to describe a musical style or subgenre, rather than a regional group of musicians.^[64] During the 1970-80's the Canterbury 'Odeon' now the site of the 'New Marlow' played host to many of the Punk and new wave bands of the era these included, The Clash, The Ramones, Blondie, Sham69, Magazine, XTC, Dr Feelgood, Elvis Costello and the attractions,The Stranglers.

The University of Kent has hosted concerts by bands including Led Zeppelin^[65] and The Who.^[66] During the late seventies and early eighties the Canterbury Odeon hosted a number of major acts, including The Cure^[67] and Joy Division.^[68] The Marlowe Theatre is also used for many musical performances, such as Don McLean in 2007,^[69] and Fairport Convention in 2008.^[70] A regular music and dance venue is the Westgate Hall.

The Canterbury Choral Society gives regular concerts in Canterbury Cathedral, specialising in the large-scale choral works of the classical repertory.^[71] The Canterbury Orchestra, founded in 1953, is a thriving group of enthusiastic players who regularly tackle major works from the symphonic repertoire.^[72] Other musical groups include the Canterbury Singers (also founded in 1953), Cantemus, and the City of Canterbury Chamber Choir.^[73] The University of Kent has a Symphony Orchestra, a University Choir, a Chamber Choir, and a University Concert Band and Big Band.^[74]

The Canterbury Festival takes place over two weeks in October each year in Canterbury and the surrounding towns. It includes a wide range of musical events ranging from opera and symphony concerts to world music, jazz, folk, etc., with a Festival Club, a Fringe, and Umbrella events.^[75] Canterbury also hosts the annual Lounge On The Farm festival in July, which mainly sees performances from rock, indie and dance artists.

The reggae/ska musician Judge Dread played his last gig at the Penny Theatre. His final words were "Let's hear it for the band." He then went offstage, suffered a major heart attack and died, despite help from both ambulance crews and the audience.

Composers[link]

Composers with an association with Canterbury include

• Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585), became a lay clerk (singing man) at Canterbury Cathedral c. 1540 and was subsequently appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1543.^[59]
• John Ward (1571–1638), born in Canterbury, a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, composed madrigals, works for viol consort, services, and anthems.
• Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625), organist, composer, and Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, who died in Canterbury and was buried in the Cathedral.
• William Flackton (1709–1798), born in Canterbury, a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, was an organist, viola player and composer.
• John Marsh (1752–1828), lawyer, amateur composer and concert organiser, wrote two symphonies for the Canterbury Orchestra before moving to Chichester in 1784.
• Thomas Clark (1775–1859), shoemaker and organist at the Methodist church in Canterbury, composer of 'West Gallery' hymns and psalm tunes.^[76]
• Sir George Job Elvey (1816–1893), organist and composer, was born in Canterbury and trained as a chorister at the Cathedral.
• Alan Ridout (1934–1996) educator and broadcaster, composer of church, orchestral and chamber music.
• Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University at a ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral.
• Many Canterbury Cathedral organists composed services, anthems, hymns, etc.

Sport[link]

St Lawrence Ground

St Lawrence Ground is notable as one of the two grounds used regularly for first-class cricket that have a tree within the boundary (the other is the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa). It is the home ground of Kent County Cricket Club and has hosted several One Day Internationals, including one England match during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.^[77]

Canterbury City F.C. reformed in 2007 as a community interest company and currently compete in the Kent League. The previous incarnation of the club folded in 2001.^[78] Canterbury's Rugby Football Club were founded in 1926 and became the first East Kent club to achieve National League status when they were promoted to the National League Division 3 South in 2006.^[79]

The Tour de France has visited the city twice. In 1994 the tour passed through, and in 2007 it held the finish for Stage 1.^[80]

Canterbury Hockey Club is one of the largest clubs in the country and both men's 1st XI and women's 1st XI compete in the England Hockey League.^[81] Former Olympic gold medal winner Sean Kerly also a member of the club.^[82]

Sporting activities for the public are provided at the Kingsmead Leisure Centre, which has a 33-metre (108 ft) swimming pool and a sports hall for football, basketball, and badminton.^[83]

Transport[link]

Railway[link]

Canterbury West Station. The world's first regular passenger railway ran from this site, and it was here that the world's first season ticket was issued. Today, the station connects with "High Speed 1", on which trains run to London at up to 140 miles-an-hour.

Canterbury was the terminus of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway (known locally as the Crab and Winkle line) which was a pioneer line, opened on 3 May 1830, and finally closed in 1953. Despite claims by the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the Canterbury and Whitstable was the first regular passenger steam railway in the world.^[84] The first station in Canterbury was at North Lane.

Today, Canterbury has two railway stations, Canterbury West and Canterbury East, both operated by Southeastern, the current franchisee for the railways around Canterbury (which are part of the state-controlled national rail network). Canterbury West station, on the South Eastern Railway from Ashford, was opened on 6 February 1846, and on 13 April the line to Ramsgate was completed. Canterbury West is served by high speed (56 minutes) trains to London St. Pancras, slower stopping services to London Charing Cross and London Victoria as well as by trains to Ramsgate and Margate. Canterbury East, the more central of the two stations, was opened by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on 9 July 1860. Services from London Victoria stop at Canterbury East (journey time around 88 minutes) and continue to Dover.

Canterbury has previously been served by two other stations. North Lane Station was the southern terminus of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway between 1830 and 1846. Canterbury South was on the Elham Valley Railway, which opened in 1890 and closed in 1947. A high-speed train service to London St Pancras via Ashford International started on 13 December 2009. The journey time to London has been reduced to one hour.^[85]

Road[link]

Canterbury is by-passed by the A2 London to Dover Road. It is about 45 miles (72 km) from the M25 London orbital motorway, and 61 miles (98 km) from central London. The other main road through Canterbury is the A28 from Ashford to Ramsgate and Margate. The City Council has invested heavily in Park-and-Ride systems around the City's outskirts and there are three sites: at Wincheap, New Dover Road and Sturry Road. There are plans to build direct access sliproads to and from the London directions of the A2 where it meets the congested Wincheap (at present there are only slips from the A28 to and from the direction of Dover) to allow more direct access to Canterbury from the A2, but these are currently subject to local discussion. In 2011 a third junction was constructed, linking the A28 to the northbound A2; this leaves just the A2 southbound exit missing, but since this would cut across the Park & Ride car park and meet the A28 at an already complicated junction, it is not expected to be added in the near term.^[86] The hourly National Express coach service to and from Victoria Coach Station (007), which leaves from the main bus station, is typically scheduled to take two hours.

Education[link]

The city has many students as it is home to four universities, together with several other higher education institutions and colleges; at the 2001 census, 22% of the population aged 16–74 were full-time students, compared with 7% throughout England.^[87]

Norman staircase, King's School, Canterbury

The city is host to four universities: The University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, the University College for the Creative Arts and most recently GAU (The Girne American University).

The University of Kent's main campus is situated over 300 acres (121 ha) on St. Stephen's Hill, a mile north of Canterbury city centre. Formerly called the University of Kent at Canterbury, it was founded in 1965, with a smaller campus opened in 2000 in the town of Chatham. As of 2007, it had around 16,000 students.^[88]

Darwin College, part of the University of Kent campus

Canterbury Christ Church University was founded as a teacher training college in 1962 by the Church of England. In 1978 its range of courses began to expand into other subjects, and in 1995 it was given the power to become a University college. In 2005 it was granted full university status, and as of 2007 it had around 15,000 students.^[89]

The University College for the Creative Arts is the oldest higher education institution in the city, having been founded in 1882 by Thomas Sidney Cooper as the Sidney Cooper School of Art. Near the University of Kent is the Franciscan International Study Centre,^[90] a place of study for the worldwide Franciscan Order. Chaucer College is an independent college for Japanese and other students within the campus of the University of Kent. Canterbury College, formerly Canterbury College of Technology, offers a mixture of vocation, further and higher education courses for school leavers and adults.

Independent secondary schools include Kent College, St Edmund's School and, what is often described as the oldest school in England, The King's School. St. Augustine established a school shortly after his arrival in Canterbury in 597, and it is from this that some claim The King’s School grew. Although, the documented history of the school only began after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, when the school acquired its present name, referring to Henry VIII.^[91]

The city's secondary grammar schools are Barton Court Grammar School, Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School; all of which in 2008 had over 93% of their pupils gain five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and maths.^[92] The non-selective state secondary schools are The Canterbury High School, St Anselm's Catholic School, the Church of England's Archbishop's School, and Chaucer Technology School; all of which in 2008 had more than 30% of their pupils gain five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths.

Local media[link]

Newspapers[link]

Canterbury's first newspaper was the Kentish Post, founded in 1717.^[19] It changed its name to the Kentish Gazette in 1768^[93] and is still being published, claiming to be the country's second oldest surviving newspaper.^[94] It is currently produced as a paid-for newspaper produced by the KM Group, based in nearby Whitstable. This newspaper covers the East Kent area and has a circulation of about 25,000.^[95]