Canterbury, Kent. England

         Canterbury, sitting on the River Stour, is a mere 55 miles South from London. It is firstly, a World Heritage site, and a university town. This fact, especially in term time, is the most noticeable, swelled as it is by some 17,000 people. Even though this number is spread about a little in both Broadstairs, and Gillingham, two towns within twenty miles. Some 41% of that number are part time too, although it's still a bustling population. The whole place throngs with young, and vibrant people. I just love the energy of all those young people, just starting out on their life.  The town has a buzz, and an energy around its narrow streets, its crowded buildings. 

         This ancient town, is especially interesting at the times of the years when the students are awarded their degrees. Which, they receive within the famous Canterbury Cathedral, located in the very centre of it's partly cobbled streets. The cathedral where in 1170, Thomas Becket met his untimely end. After which, it became a place of Pilgrimage. Giving rise to the famous 14 Century, Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is one of the oldest of all Christian structures, dated from 597 when it converted to Christianity. In the U.K. a town only becomes a city, when it has a Cathedral. This church, is a particularly large, and beautiful one, as are the buildings around it. If visiting the city, allow time to fully explore every side of the grand building.

      

   At that time of graduations, the students stroll the streets with their families, wearing their traditional loose gowns, and mortars. Each subject, or discipline a different colour flash around the cowl of the gown. Sometimes, I sit for hours watching the casual procession passing. An easy enough thing to do in the centre of town. A place where, the mainly pedestrian streets, are scattered with small pavement cafes, where you can sit, snack, and drink coffee to your hearts content. As the many students, of assorted ages, and their proud families wander the town, having lunch, or merely being seen, and seeing. On their way to, or from, the ceremonies within the Cathedral.

         Of course, you cannot fail to notice the town itself. A mixture of mainly medieval, and Tudor buildings. The centre surrounded by the remains of the city wall. A wall where you can walk around the top, well above the town. The area of city is some 130 acres.

The wall, when complete, held seven gates, some, like the one above, still survive. If you are a lover of either History, or architecture you will love Canterbury. 

           The town is a tourist hotspot of course, with above 114 hotels. There are so many things to see, and do, a theatre, tours, and river trips, old pubs, and a wealth of restaurants. With regular fruit, and gift markets held in the town centre, complimenting the range is shops available. The town is surrounded by rolling farmland, and country lanes. The whole of a Kent being called the Garden of England, because of its rich soil, and abundant fruit orchards, and hop fields. Many old Oast houses, with their distinctive pointed cowl, remain scattered around the countryside. Places, where once the hops, were dried before being made into beer.

          Canterbury, is the icing on the cake, a city so rich in history, it cannot fail to interest. 

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