Canterbury, Kent

Website: Canterbury-UK.com

Town of Canterbury, Kent

Canterbury is a city in east Kent in South East England.  Canterbury is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

There has been a settlement in Canterbury since prehistoric times.  Canterbury (known in Latin as Durovernum Cantiacorum) became a Roman administrative centre; it stood on what has become known as Watling Street. The city walls and one of the city gates remain.

The Ancient Diocese of Canterbury was the Mother-Church and Primatial See of All England, from 597 till the death of the last Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Pole, in 1558. The abbey, cathedral and Saint Martin's are all World Heritage sites.

Canterbury Cathedral is the burial place of King Henry IV and of Edward the Black Prince but is most famous as the scene of the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170. As a result of this event, Canterbury became a major pilgrimage site, inspiring Geoffrey Chaucer to write The Canterbury Tales in 1387. See: www.canterbury-cathedral.org

Canterbury today is a major city for tourism with Canterbury Cathedral alone over 1 million visitors per year.

Canterbury has two railway stations, Canterbury West and Canterbury East. Canterbury West is served primarily from London's Charing Cross Station. Services from London's Victoria Station stop at Canterbury East and continue to Dover.

Canterbury is now by-passed by the A2 London to Dover Road. It is about 72 km. (45 miles) from the M25 London orbital motorway and 98 km. (61 miles) from central London.

There is a National Express coach service to and from London's Victoria Coach Station.

The city is on the River Great Stour, flowing from Ashford to the English Channel at Sandwich.

Official Town of Canterbury, Kent website: www.iow.gov.uk