John D Fielding · CC BY 2.0 Why visit
Canterbury Cathedral is worth allowing time for because it combines architecture, worship spaces, monuments and the changing use of a long-lived religious site. The site is more useful than a quick photograph: its surviving features give clear evidence of how the place developed and how people used it. Key things to concentrate on are nave, choir and principal architectural details and memorials, chapels and historic fittings. Its position in or near Canterbury also makes it a practical anchor for exploring the surrounding region without reducing the visit to a simple landmark stop.
What you will see
- nave, choir and principal architectural details.
- memorials, chapels and historic fittings.
History
The cathedral traces its foundation to Augustine’s mission of 597. The present building was substantially rebuilt from 1070, and the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 made it a major pilgrimage destination.
Photographs
John D Fielding · CC BY 2.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.
Visitor tips
- 1
Allow enough time for the principal features rather than treating the stop only as a photograph.
- 2
Check the official visitor page shortly before travel for access, booking and any temporary restrictions.
About South East England
Royal, ecclesiastical, coastal and university destinations across Kent, Sussex, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
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