Canterbury
Canterbury. .." will no one rid me of this
turbulent preist? "
Canterbury
is a perfect mix of extraordinary beauty and fascinating history.
St. Augustine
arrived here in 597 with orders from the Pope to convert the pagans
to Christianity, and established
St. Augustine’s Abbey, and a church where
Canterbury Cathedral now stands.
The cathedral was the site of the murder of
Thomas Becket, after King Henry II imprudently shouted,
“Will no one rid me of this turbulent preist? "....and four
of his knights did!
Becket's tomb became a pilgrimage destination
until Henry the VIII had the tomb destroyed in
the 16th century.
The
church
of St. Dunstan's
dates back to the 1100s, and is about a half hour walk from the
cathedral. It is
here that Henry II shed his regal garb, donned the hair shirt of the
penitent, and walked barefoot to the cathedral, to pay penitence for
his part Thomas Becket demise.
The hospital/hospice where many pilgrims stayed
still stands on the High Street.
It is there that I learned this wonderful little tidbit...the
gates of the city were closed at sundown, so pilgrims were often
hurrying to arrive ...and....
that
is where the word
"canter " originated!! I
love this stuff.
Oddly enough, St. Dunstan’s is also the final
resting place of the head (and only the head), of Thomas More. More
was beheaded for getting on the wrong side of Henry VIII.
More's daughter lived in
Canterbury, and had her father's head brought
here for internment.
It still lies beneath the floor of St. Dunstan's in the
family tomb.
I visited
Dover
Castle twice while I was
here. There is so much
to see. The keep has
been furnished and equipped as it would have been in Henry II's
time. It is
astounding to see the brightly coloured furniture and realize that
is much the way it would have looked. The chairs are very wide, so
they could accommodate the voluminous robes and furs that would have
been worn.
There are extensive tunnels under Dover Castle
that were used during the second world war. That is a fascinating
tour to experience.
Not far away is
Walmer
Castle, built by Henry
VII, anticipating a French invasion.
It also was used during WW II.
Today it well known for its beautiful gardens.
Canterbury
has been wonderful. ..hope you enjoy the pictures!
Photos: May 09: Canterbury
Photos: May 10: Canterbury
Photos: May 11: Canterbury
Photos: May 12: Canterbury
Photos: May 13: Canterbury
Photos: May 14: Canterbury
Photos: May 15: Canterbury
Photos: May 20: Canterbury
