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Canterbury
- "Ave Mater Angliae"
The
ancient City of Canterbury is dominated
by its rather imposing and beautiful Anglican
Cathedral which conveniently marks the spot
used previously for "older" religions.
In that fine historic religious tradition...
Becket's tomb within lies with the bones
and ghosts of royalty and cleric alike but
is perhaps the main reason for the cathedral
visits by hordes of coach drawn French students
on the Channel Hop. Our advice is to time
your visits to the weekends or late afternoons
to avoid these ...
Thomas Becket was a Saint, Martyr and Archbishop
of Canterbury under Henry II. He was a powerful
and ambitious prelate who supported the
authority of the Pope over the dictates
of the King. As a result Henry had Becket
assassinated within the Cathedral on the
29th December, 1170, a sword being driven
through the top of his skull ... and then
.... . He was canonised two years later.
Which made the local tourism chief, ye olde
tat sellers and innkeepers very happy ....
when they found all the bits ....
Canterbury IS a beautiful place and worth
taking time out to visit in detail. Although
badly damaged in 1942's Baedeker Raid (so
named after the travel guides used by the
enemy bombers!), much of its ancient "feel"
remains.
Only more recent commercial pressures have,
for instance, caused a downturn in the numbers
of pubs in the area - once claimed to offer
a different pub each day of the year within
a five-mile radius of the Cathedral. There
are sixty plus remaining within the environs
of the City ..... List
of pubs!.
The
City centre is undergoing huge redevelopment
and remains something of a tip while the
demands of archaeology and commercial development
come face to face. The redevelopment will
be an improvement on what passed as "acceptable"
previously....
The Church Commissioners exercise their
rights in exacting the highest possible
(= swingeing) commercial rents for properties
they own in the locality (=most of them!)
and this explains why regular shops have
gradually given way to bijou galleries and
short-lived fast-turnover emporiums around
the Cathedral in particular.
The High street features the usual range
of national multiples and a good selection
of quick eateries, not unlike just about
anywhere else. However, there is that special
charm about the place ... all credit to
The Planners and Conservators at the council!
The City is, by and large, considered "good"
for shopping.
Canterbury
- at the hub of East Kent
The
Cathedral City finds itself at a strategic
position at the hub of the East Kent region
and en route to the major port of Dover
and others nearby. You can check out the
links alongside for the info of past and
present.
The City is reachable by car in about two
hours from Heathrow and London - and less
than hour from the M25, much less from Maidstone,
Folkestone (Channel Tunnel) and Dover.
Train journeys from London Charing Cross
via Ashford to Canterbury West, or from
London Victoria to Canterbury East via Faversham
take a little less than two hours.
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