Pilgrimage to Canterbury

John and I took a few days off to explore Kent and Canterbury.  I’m convinced that the town of Canterbury was the inspiration for Hogsmeade in the Harry Potter books.  It is a charming, old, and fascinating town. With a college and prep school right next to the Cathedral, the town was filled with students -- it truly felt like we were wandering the streets of Hogsmeade. 

As for the cathedral – it is truly spectacular!  Here’s what I learned: 

 St Augustine founded the original cathedral (the first in England) on the site soon after he arrived in 597 AD.

The cathedral was subsequently rebuilt at least four times; as was usual, the Normans effectively destroyed the Saxon building and rebuilt it in their own Norman style with stones shipped across the Channel from Normandy.  It was dedicated in 1077.

   Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170 by King Henry II’s knights. The king had ordered his murder for refusing to give the monarchy power over the church. Becket’s death made him into a martyr to followers of the Catholic Church, and Pope Alexander canonized him in 1173, only three years after his death.

The cathedral has some surviving late 12th century stained glass windows - some of the finest and most colorful in the country

During World War II, the cathedral's beautiful stained glass windows were removed for safekeeping from Hitler's air raids. It was a wise decision - the replacement windows were blown in. A large area of the town of Canterbury was destroyed, as was the cathedral library, but the main body of the cathedral remained intact.

In 1165 a detailed plan of the cathedral and its monastic buildings was drawn - this survives today as the only such contemporary plan of an English cathedral. Included on the plan are details of a complex and extensive plumbing system for providing clean water and flushing lavatories!

When Henry VIII forcibly closed the monasteries he also destroyed all the shrines of saints, including that of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury cathedral. It is said that 26 wagons were needed to transport the stolen gold, jewels and other treasure from the shrine to the Tower of London and Henry's coffers.

Even though the cathedral has been extended, re-modelled, repaired and altered many times, it still retains some of the original Norman work, particularly in the crypt. 

The cathedral today has 21 bells housed in three towers. I love the sound of church bells chiming and Canterbury Cathedral's are particularly sweet sounding.