Being
located on the route from London to Dover meant Canterbury became an important
Roman town even before the arrival of St Augustine in 597, who was sent
by the pope to convert the Anglo Saxons to Christianity. Today it still
retains some of its medieval character with long stretches of 13th & 14th
century town walls and lofty overhanging houses.
Canterbury Cathedral - the spiritual home of the church of England contains
some of the country's finest medieval stained glass along with many examples
of medieval architecture. It's also home to the 'Site of the Shrine of St
Thomas a Becket ', the Archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered there in
1170.
Today Canterbury is a colourful and varied city and offers something for
everyone, with its mixture of architecture, history, arts and culture, museums,
visitor attractions and wide ranging shops. You'll find plenty of quality hotels, B and B's, Guest Houses and self catering cottages in Canterbury.
Whitstable - lies just 7 miles from Canterbury and is a popular harbour
town. It's known as the 'Pearl of Kent' and is famous for its oysters &
seafood. It is also steeped in maritime history and has winding lanes with
eccentric names - 'Squeeze Gut Alley'! Present day events include: the International
Waterski Championship, Thames Barge Regatta and the Whitstable Oyster Festival.
Herne Bay - A friendly seaside town just 8 miles north of Canterbury,
is popular for its safe beaches, good sailing waters, fishing and its colourful
two-week Herne Bay Festival in August. Reculver just a few miles away was
the site of a Roman fort, mentioned in the Domesday Book, now Reculver Country
Park is a renowned bird watching spot.
To open a large version of the map in a new window and plan a journey to Canterbury click here.
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