The Highlights of Canterbury - a One Hour Historical Walking Tour

You will be met by your guide, Dr Anthony Medhurst, outside The Hampton by Hilton hotel in St Margaret's Street. Here you will hear about the Iron Age origins of Canterbury; two preliminary raids in 55BC and 54BC by Julius Caesar; and the significant impact of the Roman invasion and settlement in AD43-410. You will have the opportunity to view the remains of the Roman theatre built in AD 80 which was further developed into a venue for 3000+ people and is located right under your feet! You will also view the adjacent Roman road, Watling Street, which passes next to the theatre and runs straight through Canterbury between London and Dover, as well as the location of a nearby temple complex and public bath houses.

We will then walk to the corner of St Margaret's St and High Street which is at the crossroads of the Roman city. Here you will learn about the murder of Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, at the hands of four knights acting for King Henry II. The subsequent declaration of miracles attributed to those who came into contact with the spilt blood of Thomas within the Cathedral, lead to his sainthood and Canterbury becoming the focus for pilgrimage for many to his tomb. You will discover what it was like to be a pilgrim coming to Canterbury between 1170-1538 and see the remains of shops, inns and accommodation they used.

As we leave St Margaret’s Street and cross the road to Butchery Lane, we will stop for a fantastic photo opportunity of the Cathedral and its quaint cobbled streets and medieval buildings. At this point you will also learn about the origins of the Cathedral, most notably the arrival of Augustine in Canterbury in AD597, and the subsequent spread of Christianity throughout the country. The construction of the Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's church from this period are why all are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

From here we will walk to the Cathedral Gate, the main entrance to one of the historic home of the Anglican church. You will gain an insight into the gate’s connection with Henry VIII and the Tudor family, as well as a wider understanding of the impact of the Reformation on Canterbury and the Cathedral. Whilst there, you will learn more about the Buttermarket - the cobbled square which is the focal of the medieval city and the location of a number of pilgrim hotels and taverns.

Our next stop is the idyllic setting of the River Stour. This historic crossing point was the location of the Dominican friars, known as the Blackfriars. Here you can hear more about the influence of friars and monks to Canterbury and see for yourself two buildings which survive from this period: a refectory which was used by Dominicans as a dining hall and separate quarters for guest accommodation. This beautiful location is excellent for photo opportunities. Whilst here, you will hear about of one of Canterbury's most famous sons and contemporary of William Shakespeare, the dramatist Christopher Marlowe. You will be told stories about the importance of Canterbury in his short, but colourful life, and which ended in his untimely death in a Deptford tavern.

We will move on to the largest surviving medieval fortified tower in existence – the Westgate Tower. The Romans originally protected Canterbury with defensive walls between 270-290AD and seven gateways. During the Hundred Years War with France, the walls were strengthened further and two massive fortified gateways constructed. You will discover the innovative features of the Westgate and its role in protecting Canterbury in ensuing centuries. We will then take a short stroll into the neighbouring Westgate Gardens which, with its medieval houses, ancient archway and idyllic riverside setting, is an ideal spot for photos. You will also get the chance to see the submerged female figure in the river – ‘Alluvia’ – which was based on the character ‘Ophelia’ in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. ‘Alluvia’ is a striking sculpture produced by a prominent local artist which is not only a dramatic work of art but also has the dual purpose of measuring the temperature and cleanliness of the River Stour!

We head down the High Street towards the Old Weavers’ House which is located at another delightful riverside location on the King’s Bridge. Here you will see a beautiful timbered Tudor building which housed workers in the textile trade. You will hear about the importance of Protestant weavers who fled the Low Countries and later France in the 1500s and 1600s but who contributed significantly to the re-emerging wealth of Canterbury after disastrous desecration following King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. Furthermore you will also be able to view slightly further downstream a grim reminder of how difficult life could be centuries ago - a ‘witches dunking stool’. Women accused of witchcraft faced the prospect of five seemingly impossible tests including being held underwater in the chair for several minutes. If the accused survived this test, she was proven to be a witch: if she drowned, she was deemed innocent and considered cleansed and forgiven by the water.

Just a few steps away from the King’s Bridge is a statue commemorating the significance of Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ which was written in the late 1300s. You will gain an understanding of the significance of the ‘Canterbury Tales’ to the city and country as a whole. You will also hear something about Canterbury's even more famous son – Orlando Bloom – who is featured on the statue.
This will be the last stop before returning to St Margaret’s Street from where the tour began.

The tour returns to the Hampton by Hilton.