St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, Kent England

Walking the grounds of the ancient St Augustine's Abbey makes English history come alive thanks to the preservation of these historic structures and an onsite museum.

St Augustine's Abbey is part of the World Heritage site, which includes St Martin's Church and Canterbury Cathedral.

A short video clip showing the grounds of St Augustine's Abbey.

The Romans brought Christianity to Britain but the local Anglos-Saxon tribes worshipped other gods. According to the storyboards at St Augustine's Abbey, Pope Gregory I was influenced to send Augustine to England when he saw the plight of pagan English children sold in a slave market. Augustine arrived in 597.

Augustine was received by Queen Bertha who was a Christian and worshipping at nearby St Martin's church. She appears to have encouraged her husband, King Ethelbert, to donate the land, which became the first monastic site now known as St Augustine's Abbey. He also supported St Martin's church where St Augustine began his missionary efforts and provided the land for Canterbury Cathedral.

Following the Norman invasion of 1066, the abbey was modified in the Norman style. A wall and outline remains.

Normal church ruins in 2023
St Augustine's Abbey

Signs mark the locations where regional kings and religious leaders were buried.

In the 600s, St Mary's church was built near Augustine's original church. Around 1050, Abbot Wulfric began building a circular tower to join the two churches. The remains of this tower are depicted below.

Wulfric's Tower c 1050
Geoffrey Sutton 2023

The monks had their own burial site. Below are the ruins of their crypt, which was part of a new Norman church of 1091.

The Crypt

The site of the tombs for early archbishops is covered by a roof.

Other monastic structures are identified by informative signboards.

Outline of dining hall site
St Augustine's Abbey 2023
Geoffrey Sutton/ suttong.com

Cloister and Scriptorium site
St Augustine's Abbey 2023
Geoffrey Sutton/ suttong.com

Lady chapel and crypt
St Augustine's Abbey 2023
Geoffrey Sutton/ suttong.com

The experience is enhanced by a museum containing a history of the site on illustrated storyboards and some archaeological discoveries.

The following example describes the building of the abbey.

The glass-enclosed case includes finds from the burial of an abbot.

Dissolution

Following the divorce of King Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon, the king made himself the head of the Church of England. Eventually, the monasteries became the property of the government (the crown).

Notes on St Augustine's Abbey

Based on my April 2023 visit

____________________

The site is maintained by English Heritage.

There is an entrance fee.

Entry is free for English Heritage members.

An audio guide is included with the entrance fee; however, it did not work for all of the sites.

The museum is small but informative and includes a gift shop and toilets.

The museum also includes child-friendly activities.

The grounds are well-maintained and provide a nice opportunity for a walk and a picnic lunch.

Google map of St Augustine's Abbey

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Related sites

Canterbury Cathedral

St Martin's Church - England oldest active church

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Kensington Gardens, London, England

Princess Diana Fountain, Kensington 2011/ 
Geoffrey Sutton suttong.com

I have enjoyed sitting on one of the benches surrounding The Italian Gardens. Nearby, you can hear children asking for an ice cream from a vintage van.

The Peter Pan statue is a favourite monument for selfies. It's located west of the Long Water.

The Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens

Albert Memorial by Michael Coppins
Wikimedia file

Perhaps the most visited spot is the Princess Diana Fountain.

About Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens is one of London’s eight Royal Parks and covers an area of 265 acres¹. Once part of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens offers a mix of old and new park pastimes and green space. You can get your fix of contemporary art and architecture at the Serpentine Galleries, marvel at the history and heritage of Kensington Palace or admire the Victorian splendour of the Albert Memorial¹.

The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde Park, in western central London². The Gardens are fenced and more formal than Hyde Park. Kensington Gardens are open only during the hours of daylight, whereas Hyde Park is open from 5 am until midnight all year round².

Visit Places Nearby

Hyde Park

Sources: Geoffrey W. Sutton in conversation with Bing, 20 May, 2023

(1) Kensington Gardens | London | The Royal Parks. https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens.

(2) Kensington Gardens - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Gardens.

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Google Map of Kensington Gardens

Canterbury Cathedral England

 

I felt a sense of awe when I looked out my hotel window and saw the above view of Canterbury Cathedral.

It's hard to convey the majesty of this sizeable masterpiece from ground level so I generated the aerial image below with help from Bing.

Canterbury Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is the oldest and most famous church in England and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in England.

Let's backup a bit to see the inviting Cathedral gate we visitors encounter from the street. Just to the right is where you purchase tickets.

I find Canterbury Cathedral to be an impressive building worth visiting regardless of faith or nationality. The structure alone is worthy of appreciation, but of course, there’s so much more inside including amazing windows, paintings, sculptures, and hundreds of years of European history. The human stories linked to the church are rich in recurrent themes of jealousy, greed, anger, and murder.

The inside of the Cathedral is incredibly stunning.

1170 Murder in the Cathedral

Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29th, 1170. Four knights attacked and killed Becket, believing that they were acting on the wishes of King Henry II. Becket had previously been Henry's Chancellor. After becoming Archbishop, he protected the rights and status of the church.

The death of Becket unnerved the king. The knights who did the deed to curry the king's favour fell into disgrace. Several miracles were said to occur at the tomb of the martyr. His murder and the reports of miracles spread abroad, which led to a wave of pilgrimages to Canterbury and the canonization of Becket in 1173.

Henry II was suspected of having been more deeply involved in the murder than he let on. Eventually, Henry II had to atone for Becket’s murder by allowing himself to be whipped by the monks of Canterbury.

In 1540, over 350 years after Thomas Becket's death, his shrine was destroyed by agents of King Henry VIII.

Today, visitors can see the location of the original shine marked by a candle on the floor. A new memorial with a small altar beneath depicts ragged-edged swords hanging ominously above the sacred table. As you lean over the altar rail, you see “THOMAS” in a bloody font. A sign nearby tells us the sacred place was honoured in 1982 when Pope John Paul II prayed here with Archbishop Robert Runcie.

Original site of Thomas Becket shrine

Thomas Becket Memorial site 2023

"Thomas" remembered

1330 Edward, The Black Prince, National Hero

The Black Prince has a special place of honour in the cathedral. His awesome tomb is protected by a fence. Slightly above it is a colourful tribute panel, which is replicated on a nearby wall. High above the tomb are replicas of his body armour. You can see originals in the crypt, which are within a no photography zone.

Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne instead. Edward nevertheless earned distinction as one of the most successful English commanders during the Hundred Years' War, being regarded by his English contemporaries as a model of chivalry and one of the greatest knights of his age. His reputation in France, on the other hand, was one of brutality.

Edward was made Duke of Cornwall, the first English dukedom, in 1337. He was guardian of the kingdom in his father's absence in 1338, 1340, and 1342. He was created Prince of Wales in 1343 and at age 16, he was knighted by his father at La Hougue in 1346. In 1346, Prince Edward commanded the vanguard at the Battle of Crécy, his father intentionally leaving him to win the battle. He took part in Edward III's 1349 Calais expedition. In 1355, he was appointed the king's lieutenant in Gascony, and ordered to lead an army into Aquitaine on a chevauchée, during which he pillaged Avignonet and Castelnaudary, sacked Carcassonne, and plundered Narbonne.

Black Prince helmet-replica

Black Prince shield- replica

Gauntlets- replica

In 1356, Prince Edward commanded the English army at the Battle of Poitiers, where he defeated a much larger French force. The French king, John II, was captured and held prisoner in England for the next 26 years. The Black Prince's victory at Poitiers made him a national hero in England.

In 1362, Prince Edward was created Prince of Aquitaine, and he ruled the duchy for the next 14 years. He was a popular ruler, and he was successful in defending Aquitaine from French attacks. However, he was also a harsh ruler, and he was accused of cruelty and of mismanaging the duchy's finances.

In 1367, Prince Edward married Joan of Kent. They had two sons, Richard II and Edward of Angoulême. The Black Prince's health began to decline in the early 1370s, and he died in 1376 at the age of 45. He was buried in Canterbury Cathedral.

Replica of panel above The Black Prince's tomb

Cathedral Chapels

Walking through the cathedral, I noticed several beautifully appointed chapels and others were more plain, perhaps respecting their purpose.

Anselm Chapel and window

Anselm Chapel 2023

Jesus' Chapel/ 2023 Geoffrey Sutton

French Calvinist church continues at Canterbury following their exile from France more than 300 years ago.

The  Chapel of Modern Saints and Martyrs.

Burial of Christ in the Chapel of
Modern Saints and Martyrs

The Warrior Chapel

Prisoner of Conscience Chapel

The Monks' Chapter House

The windows and ceiling of the Chapter House offered the monks an awesome place to focus on the reading of a chapter from the Rule of St Benedict and conduct the business of the monastic community at Canterbury Cathedral. It dates from the 1300s and is located on the north side of the Cathedral and is the largest chapter house in England.

You may recognise a king or queen in the stained glass window panels.

Chapter House 2023/ Geoffrey Sutton

Chapter House ceiling 2023/ Geoffrey Sutton

Chapter house window/ 2023 Geoffrey Sutton

Old Monastery Site outside Canterbury Cathedral

Theodore

I suggest a pun.

Here is a summary of key dates.

 

• 597: St. Augustine of Canterbury arrives in England and establishes a cathedral in Canterbury.
• 604: Canterbury Cathedral is consecrated.
• 1070: Canterbury Cathedral is rebuilt in the Norman style.
• 1170: Archbishop Thomas Becket is murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.
• 1174: Canterbury Cathedral is damaged by fire.
• 1220: The Canterbury Tales tapestry is completed.
• 1534: Henry VIII breaks with the Catholic Church and Canterbury Cathedral becomes a Protestant church.
• 1787: Canterbury Cathedral is restored.
• 1942: Canterbury Cathedral is bombed during World War II.
• 1988: Canterbury Cathedral is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 *****

Thomas Becket Sources:

Conversations with Bing edited and amended by Geoffrey Sutton 19/05/2023.

Archbishop Thomas Becket is murdered - HISTORY. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-making-of-an-english-martyr.

British History in depth: Becket, the Church and Henry II - BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/becket_01.shtml.

The complex legacy of Thomas Becket’s life and death. https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/05/13/the-complex-legacy-of-thomas-beckets-life-and-death.

Murder in the Cathedral - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral.

The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170 - EyeWitness to History. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/becket.htm.

Thomas Becket: the murder that shook the Middle Ages. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/thomas-becket-murder-shook-middle-ages.

Murder of Thomas Becket | Schoolshistory.org.uk. https://schoolshistory.org.uk/topics/british-history/plantagenets/murder-of-thomas-becket/.

Who killed Thomas Becket? | British Museum. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/who-killed-thomas-becket.

Who was Thomas Becket and why did he clash with the king?. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zrfm7yc/articles/zmc6m39.

 *****

Black Prince Sources:

Conversations with Bard and Bing edited by Geoffrey Sutton, 19/05/2023

BBC - History - Edward, the Black Prince. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/black_prince.shtml.

Edward The Black Prince | English prince | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-the-Black-Prince.

Edward the Black Prince - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_the_Black_Prince.

A Book About British Culture

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Resource books for Canterbury England