What a beautiful city is Canterbury. Only a 45 minute train ride to the South East of where I’m staying, it was a lovely day’s outing. As with most places in the UK, Canterbury is full of history that stretches back 2 millennia. Because of it’s proximity to the coast, to Dover, to Folkestone, to Calais, and therefore to Europe, it has strong historical ties to the Roman invasion , the Norman invasion and to some of the bombing raids of Word War II.
Wherever you walk there are reminders of things and peoples past!
Then , of course, there is the Canterbury Cathedral…..the official “head quarters” of the Anglican Church around the world. In amongst the pamphlets available are “The Australian connection”, detailing people and artefacts connected both to Australia and the Cathedral. (Also for USA and a few other countries)
It is also the place where Bishop Thomas Beckett was murdered by 4 knights , thinking they were obeying King Henry II’s wishes. A lighted candle still stands where this occurred , nearly 1000 years ago.
Canterbury Cathedral was also a place of pilgrimage , back in Medieval times, and this was the setting for 14th century writer, Geoffrey Chaucer’s, Canterbury Tales.
Consequently, I had much to see, do and think about!
There were also a couple of other literary references I spotted around the place, too!
Added to these things, with lots of pedestrian only, heritage-listed-building-lined streets, many cafés, book shops, designer shops, discount shops, any-kind-of-shops, a wonderful art gallery/library/tourist information/cafe building , Universities, parks and gardens, great train and bus services, Canterbury is a city that would suit most people! (I sound like a tourist brochure!!!)