Day Trip to Canterbury, England
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
ROAM AT HOME SERIES 🇬🇧
Short and sweet, Canterbury was a treat.
I’d been wanting to visit Canterbury and its famous cathedral for a few years, yet it was just one of those destinations that got stuck on my bucket list for an unnecessarily long time. Going there ended up being quite a last-minute decision — but, as it turned out, a great one.
Despite our later-than-expected departure, the sun was shining when we left London and my chauffeur (read: boyfriend) was driving, so that was a good start to the day (yes, yes, proud passenger princess here). Having no itinerary, I managed to throw one together during the drive.
Canterbury's historic city centre sits within the old city walls, with its distinguished cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage site) at the heart of it. If you get there early enough, a day trip to Canterbury is plenty of time to experience pretty much everything it has to offer.
Canterbury: A Brief History
Once upon a time, 2,000 years ago, the Romans sailed to conquer Britain. In 43 AD, they arrived in Canterbury and established one of the first Roman-British towns. Around 400 years later, they decided to bugger off as they had bigger fish to fry elsewhere, and Canterbury was left to be settled in by the Anglo-Saxons.
In 597, St. Augustine came over from Rome and successfully spread Christianity among the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury — basically the bossman of the English church — and founded Canterbury Cathedral, turning the town into a key religious and trade centre that grew and prospered during the Middle Ages. Of course, with prosperity came the interest of foreign powers. In 851 and 1011, Canterbury faced major attacks from Viking lads who popped over for a bit of raiding fun. Then, in 1066, the Normans sailed from France and defeated the Anglo-Saxons, bringing England under Norman rule and triggering centuries of beef between England and France.
Over the next few decades, Canterbury Castle was built, while Canterbury Cathedral, heavily damaged by fire in 1011 and 1067, was rebuilt and expanded in the Romanesque style. In 1170, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in the cathedral by knights of King Henry II. Four armed and trained men against one old man. Seems fair. Anyway, Becket's murder made him a martyr and caused a huge scandal throughout Christian Europe. He was sainted and his shrine in the cathedral became a major place of pilgrimage. Meanwhile, King Henry II was thoroughly shat on (not literally) and had to publicly repent in the cathedral. Four years after Becket's murder, yet another fire damaged the cathedral and it was mostly rebuilt in the Gothic style that you see today.
By the mid-14th century, the Black Death arrived and wiped out up to half of Canterbury's population, while political conflicts further disrupted trade and pilgrimage income for decades. In 1538, that power-hungry oaf, King Henry VIII, had the shrine of Thomas Becket destroyed. This effectively ended Canterbury Cathedral's status as a pilgrimage site, and it became a part of the Protestant Church of England. From the mid-1500s, the Huguenots and Walloons — Protestant refugees from France and southern Belgium fleeing religious persecution — settled in Canterbury. They were skilled weavers who brought their trade with them, transforming the local economy for years to come.
By the Victorian era, long after losing its prior religious significance, Canterbury had become a market town that attracted a growing number of visitors for its history and architecture. After World War II, the boom in tourism and the establishment of universities further contributed to its economic growth. Today, Canterbury remains a major tourist destination and student town in England.
The Westgate + Gardens
If you want to make a grand entrance, the best place to start is at the Westgate — Canterbury's last surviving medieval gate — where countless pilgrims passed through on their way to the cathedral for centuries. Standing 18 metres tall, its stone towers now house a museum and viewpoint. Climb up the narrow stairs to the battlements for sweeping views of the city.
Right by the Westgate, you'll find picture-perfect views of Westgate Gardens and the River Stour. Stroll along the flower-studded river, take in the beautiful landscape and keep an eye out for the woman lying in the water!
Explore the Historic Streets and Architecture
Beyond the Westgate, we headed down the maze of narrow, cobbled streets and alleyways of the King’s Mile, where centuries of history coexists with the modern buzz of characterful shops, cafés and pubs. There's something to enjoy in just wandering around, window shopping and discovering medieval and early modern buildings, with their characteristic timber frames, jettied upper floors and occasional wonky angles.
Some of the best spots to visit for a hearty slice of history (and for photos, of course!) are Mercery Lane, Butchery Lane, Sun Street and Butter Market, all of which are near Canterbury Cathedral. Palace Street is also worth exploring for more historical architecture, such as Conquest House and the unique Crooked House.
A little further away, on the High Street near King's Bridge, you'll find the 850-year-old Eastbridge Hospital, as well as the ornate façade of the late Victorian-era Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, Canterbury's central museum, library and art gallery. Both are open to the public, so you can pop inside and have a mosey around.
Canterbury Cathedral
Since Canterbury Cathedral is the main attraction, we started there as it takes some time due to its size and my habit of exploring every nook and cranny. The entrance is at Christ Church Gate, an impressive Tudor Gothic structure that whets your appetite for what lies beyond.
Towering over a lush, green landscape, Canterbury Cathedral is a masterpiece of medieval architecture and design, from its vaulted ceilings and intricately carved stone and woodwork to its carefully decorated chapels and stained glass windows (I’m a sucker for those).
My highlights include: St. Michael's Chapel; the Quire; the crypt (the oldest part of the cathedral still in the previous Norman Romanesque style); the spot of St. Thomas Becket's murder in 1170 (see history above for details); and Trinity Chapel, where pilgrims once visited the shrine of Becket before its destruction in 1538.
When you're done inside, a pleasant stroll around the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral reveals its cloisters, a water tower and the ruins of a Norman monastic infirmary, as well as a collection of pretty gardens.
King's Bridge
Overlooking a scenic narrow stretch of the River Stour, King's Bridge was one of my favourite spots on our trip. There's a quiet, unassuming tranquility to it, nestled amidst the bustle of the High Street as it is. Its charm is amplified by the Tudor-era Old Weavers' House beside it, with its dark timber frame and stained glass windows. Now a cosy restaurant steeped in history, it's worth a visit for its ambience or a spot of lunch. Grab a riverside table if you can!
Hop On A River Tour
One of my regrets was not having enough time to enjoy a river tour — punting, as they call it — so that is definitely on my to-do list for the next time I'm in Canterbury. Ain’t nothin’ like sitting on a sun-soaked river and sipping on something fruity while someone else row-row-row’s your boat gently down the stream!
There's a few tour operators to choose from, with Canterbury Historic River Tours and Canterbury Punting Company being the most affordable, depending on the time of day. If it's summertime, make sure you book in advance as they can get booked up quickly.
If you find yourself craving more history and don't mind straying slightly away from the old city walls, you can visit St. Augustine's Abbey and, just beyond that, St. Martin's Church, both of which have stood there for 1,500 years. The ruins of the 1,000-year-old Canterbury Castle are also an option, though it was temporarily closed during our visit so be sure to check beforehand.
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