canterbury garden

Welcome to our take on a brief history of Canterbury, where we explore exactly how this city has been shaped by murder, religion and war over many centuries. Now one of the most beautiful mediaeval cities in England and a popular destination for religious visitors and tourists alike, Canterbury boasts cobbled streets, peaceful canals and the architectural masterpiece that is the cathedral in the centre. There’s a lot of ground to cover in the city’s history, so we’re going to talk about some of the most interesting points! Read on to find out how Canterbury emerged as the gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage Site that it is known as today.

Celtic and Roman times (1st–5th century AD)

We know from Stone Age axes and Bronze Age pots found in the area that Canterbury has been a human settlement since prehistoric times. However, it was first recorded in the first century as being the regional capital of Kent, inhabited by the Celtic tribe of the Cantiaci. Later, during the Roman invasion of Britain, the settlement was captured and renamed “Durovernum Cantiacorum”. The Romans rebuilt the city, designing it with a grid-like structure and building the city wall which still remains intact in some parts to this day. Canterbury was known in Old English as “Cantwareburh”, meaning ‘stronghold of the Kentish men’.

The 12th century

Even after the retreat of the Romans in the 5th century AD, Canterbury remained, eventually settled by Saxon tribes who developed the local trade of pottery, textiles, and leather. But, in 1170, something happened that would change Canterbury’s story forever – the killing of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop, by knights of King Henry II. The murder shocked the nation and Thomas Becket became a martyr, with his own shrine within the cathedral. From then on, Canterbury became a place of pilgrimage, with visitors coming from all over England and Europe to pay their respects. This pilgrimage inspired Geoffrey Chaucer’s to create “The Canterbury Tales”, one of the oldest collections of stories in Old English.

Tudor times (1500s)

In the 16th century, the history of Canterbury took a dark turn with the rise of witch trials. Matthew Hopkins, a self-proclaimed witch-finding general, came up with a series of bogus criteria to identify witches and trials to test them. Unfortunately for the accused women, these trials were not designed to be survived, but instead as a way for men to cheaply get rid of their wives, and to provide public entertainment. The trials included things like jumping off roofs, being held underwater using a ducking stool which can still be seen beside the Great Stour today, and usually ended with burning the “witch” at the Old Butter Market in the city centre.

Silk producing era (1600s–1800s)

After the religious persecution and conflict of the 1500s, a group of French-speaking Protestants called the Huguenots fled their homeland and resettled, with many in England. By the 17th century, they made up 40% of Canterbury’s population and had a great influence on the city’s economy. They introduced silk weaving, which grew in popularity and by 1676 had overtaken the more traditional trade of wool weaving. For the next century and a half, Canterbury was one of the main silk production centres in England, second to only London. However, by the 19th century the silk trade was in decline due to changes in fashion and demand, and by 1820 silk weaving was discarded in favour of imported Indian muslins.

World War Two (1939–1945)

Although Kent, the region where Canterbury is located, is often called “the garden of England”, during WW2 it was known by another name – “bomb alley”. As the final part of England the German planes would fly over on their return, they would drop any leftover bombs. 10,445 bombs dropped during 135 separate raids destroyed one thousand buildings in the city and killed 119 civilian people. Canterbury Cathedral itself was targeted but fortunately suffered no damage due to weather conditions causing poor visibility. It took 10 years after the war ended for renovations to begin in the city centre, and we are very lucky that there are still original structures left in Canterbury for us to enjoy today.

Present day

Nowadays, Canterbury has a population of over 55,000, including a substantial number of students. In fact, the main industry of the city is higher education, though the economy is also reliant upon tourism and retail. Attractions within the city include: the Roman city wall, rebuilt in the 14th century; the Westgate Towers museum; the Crooked House which inspired Charles Dickens; the Marlowe Theatre; and the canals where visitors go punting in nice weather. And the centrepiece of the city is the Cathedral with its stunning architecture, music, and atmosphere, receiving over a million visitors every year.

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Whatever Canterbury’s future may hold remains to be seen. However, there is no doubt this city will continue to attract both tourists and religious visitors from all over the world for many years to come.

Thank you for reading A Brief History of Canterbury, and we hope to welcome you to this lovely city soon. If you would like to explore Canterbury for yourself, check out the amazing White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Day Tour from London that we offer. We look forward to seeing you on tour!