Canterbury is a quaint little town/village that I thoroughly enjoyed. We stayed in a 15th century coaching inn that has been expanded through incorporating and converting an adjacent wood mill and a former pub. It has definite charm and you wound your way past little corners of 2 rooms here and there and windows overlooking, in one place, a center courtyard that is now covered over and part of the hotel. We were led to our room and it was definitely necessary as we would not have found it otherwise. Our room was very nice with a few dark beams showing and old bow windows overlooking the street, a little noisy but it sure gave you the feel of what it would have been like "back when". It was a nice mix of old feel with modern amenities (although the water supply lacked a little modern "force"). We were also just off the village center.
Even the village center was a nice mix of old and new. Most of the buildings were old but age is relative. One at least dated back to 1500 AD, as advertised on the outside. Others were newer but still probably centuries old.
The Marlowe Theater is new but it is the third location of the theater and was recently built because it outgrew the last site and it would have been less expensive to build new than renovate/expand the older location.
The businesses were a nice mix as well. It definitely serves the locals as well as the tourists. There were three or four hair salons and barbers, three thrift shops, two Pound Worlds (the UK dollar store), jewelry stores that sold new and estate jewelry, a French bakery/coffee shop established 1926, a vinyl record shop, a magic shop, a tattoo shop, a fortune teller, a real estate office, a Jaguar dealer, lots of restaurants and little souvenir shops, and more. There is a new shopping complex at one end. It was so fun (for me) just to walk around.
The village center is entered by going through the Westgate Towers.
Canterbury has three sites that together make up an UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are the Canterbury Cathedral, the St. Augustine's Abbey ruins, and St. Martin's Church.
The Cathedral's origins go back to Augustine who was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 AD as a missionary. Augustine established his seat and monastery in Canterbury and became the first Archbishop of England. In 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral. Soon after that, miracles were said to happen and the Cathedral became one of Europe's most important pilgrimage centers.
They had some temporary displays of an artist's glass work throughout the cathedral while we were there.
St. Augustine's Abbey is where the monks lived and worshipped. It was founded in 598 AD but dissolved in 1538 during the English Reformation. It then underwent dismantlement until 1848. Some of the stone was used to fortify the Calais Palace but more was sold locally. The library, which had contained 2,000 manuscripts, was destroyed and plundered. What is left is being preserved.
St Martin's Church is England's oldest working Parish Church, also dating back to 597 AD.
 |
| St George's Clock Tower |
 |
| St Mary Magdalen Tower |
 |
| Punting tour |
I just found Canterbury to be interesting and such a fun mix of history and practicality.
 |
| sign on side of pub |
Canterbury is a quaint little town/village that I thoroughly enjoyed. We stayed in a 15th century coaching inn that has been expanded through incorporating and converting an adjacent wood mill and a former pub. It has definite charm and you wound your way past little corners of 2 rooms here and there and windows overlooking, in one place, a center courtyard that is now covered over and part of the hotel. We were led to our room and it was definitely necessary as we would not have found it otherwise. Our room was very nice with a few dark beams showing and old bow windows overlooking the street, a little noisy but it sure gave you the feel of what it would have been like "back when". It was a nice mix of old feel with modern amenities (although the water supply lacked a little modern "force"). We were also just off the village center.
Even the village center was a nice mix of old and new. Most of the buildings were old but age is relative. One at least dated back to 1500 AD, as advertised on the outside. Others were newer but still probably centuries old.
The Marlowe Theater is new but it is the third location of the theater and was recently built because it outgrew the last site and it would have been less expensive to build new than renovate/expand the older location.
The businesses were a nice mix as well. It definitely serves the locals as well as the tourists. There were three or four hair salons and barbers, three thrift shops, two Pound Worlds (the UK dollar store), jewelry stores that sold new and estate jewelry, a French bakery/coffee shop established 1926, a vinyl record shop, a magic shop, a tattoo shop, a fortune teller, a real estate office, a Jaguar dealer, lots of restaurants and little souvenir shops, and more. There is a new shopping complex at one end. It was so fun (for me) just to walk around.
The village center is entered by going through the Westgate Towers.
The Cathedral's origins go back to Augustine who was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 AD as a missionary. Augustine established his seat and monastery in Canterbury and became the first Archbishop of England. In 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral. Soon after that, miracles were said to happen and the Cathedral became one of Europe's most important pilgrimage centers.
They had some temporary displays of an artist's glass work throughout the cathedral while we were there.
St. Augustine's Abbey is where the monks lived and worshipped. It was founded in 598 AD but dissolved in 1538 during the English Reformation. It then underwent dismantlement until 1848. Some of the stone was used to fortify the Calais Palace but more was sold locally. The library, which had contained 2,000 manuscripts, was destroyed and plundered. What is left is being preserved.
Such a shame about the library. Some people just like to destroy stuff, in any era. What a travesty. The town sounds delightful, overall, though. Glad you enjoyed it. It does look absolutely charming.
ReplyDelete