CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
England in stone
Despite its age, Canterbury Cathedral remains a beating heart of Christianity
The mother church of the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion, Canterbury Cathedral has been an important centre of Christianity for more than 1,400 years. However, little remains of the original cathedral, which lies beneath the nave of the present building, or of the Norman cathedral erected shortly after the Conquest. In fact, today’s impressive edifice is the amalgamation of some 900 years of building and rebuilding since 1070.
But aside from its impressive architecture, the cathedral is also known for being the site of a particularly brutal murder.
In 1162, Henry II’s close friend and chancellor, omas Becket, was appointed archbishop of Canterbury – the most senior bishop role in the Church of England. By giving Becket such an important promotion, the king hoped he would support his future plans.
However, relations between the pair began to sour when, in 1164, Henry attempted to introduce a set of laws that would give the Crown more power and influence over the Church. When Becket refused to accept the changes, the king tried to put him on trial, causing the archbishop to flee to France. Making the most of Becket’s absence, Henry had his son – also named Henry – crowned by the Archbishop of York as a junior king to ensure his succession. After an intervention by Pope Alexander III, Henry and Becket managed to resolve some of their di erences, and Becket returned home – but not before writing a letter excommunicating the bishops involved in the coronation.
Precisely what happened next is still the cause of some debate. Upon discovering Becket’s actions, a furious Henry is said to have cried out “Why am I troubled by this low-born priest?”, leading four over-zealous knights to set off for Canterbury. Trying to force him to come to terms, tempers boiled over and on 29 December 1170 the knights hacked Becket to death in the northwest transept.
Henry claimed that he never intended Becket to be killed, but he nevertheless performed public penance, allowing himself to be whipped as he prayed for forgiveness. Becket, meanwhile, was declared a martyr and canonised in 1173.
WHAT TO SEE
1️⃣ TRINITY CHAPEL Originally the site of Becket’s tomb, this now houses the remains of Edward, the Black Prince 
2️⃣ CORONA CHAPEL Named after the severed crown of Thomas Becket, this forms the cathedral’s east end 
3️⃣ THE MARTYRDOM The exact spot where Becket was killed can be viewed inside the northwest transept 
4️⃣ SHRINE A lit candle shows where Becket’s shrine once stood before it was destroyed during the Reformation 
5️⃣ NAVE The cathedral’s central section was rebuilt in the late 14th century and contains one of its oldest stained-glass windows, depicting the biblical Adam
6️⃣ GREAT SOUTH WINDOW This contains the 12th-century Ancestors of Christ stained-glass windows 
7️⃣ CLOISTERS The centre of monastic life at Canterbury 
8️⃣ CRYPT Dating back to the 11th century, this is the oldest surviving part of the cathedral
BIG NUMBERS
100,000
No fewer than 100,000 pilgrims are said to have visited Canterbury in 1420, the fifth 50-year ‘jubilee’ of Becket’s martyrdom
3,600
The number of fire bombs dropped on Canterbury by the German Luftwaffe on one day in 1942
3
The number of archbishops of Canterbury who have been murdered: Alphege, Thomas Becket and Simon of Sudbury
1,200
More than 1,200 square metres of stained glass fill the cathedral’s huge windows
A cathedral through time
AD 597
Saint Augustine arrives in Kent as a Christian missionary on the orders of Pope Gregory the Great. He establishes the original Canterbury Cathedral and becomes the first archbishop of Canterbury.
1077
The Norman stone cathedral is completed under the orders of Archbishop Lanfranc.
1174
A devastating fire tears through the building, melting the lead roof and causing widespread damage. Rebuilding the cathedral will take 10 years.
1220
The cathedral becomes an important site of medieval pilgrimage when Thomas Becket’s body is placed in its shrine.
1498
The 250-foot Bell Harry Tower is completed – the last major addition to the cathedral.
1538–40
On the orders of Henry VIII, Becket’s shrine is destroyed and the monastery dissolved.
1660–1704
The cathedral undergoes repair work after being damaged by Puritans during the Civil Wars. Many of the medieval stained-glass windows are smashed.
1954
The cathedral’s library is rebuilt after being damaged in a World War II bombing raid.