11th July to 14th August at Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury’s UNESCO Places: Delve Deeper in Canterbury’s History on a Walking Tour with a Difference!
In 597 a boat landed on the south-east coast containing a group of weary, apprehensive monks led by Saint Augustine. Dispatched from Rome by Pope Gregory, they were tasked with the mission of converting the pagan occupants of the region, led by King Ethelbert, to Christianity. Saint Augustine was aided by Ethelbert’s wife, Queen Bertha, herself a Christian from modern-day France, who was allowed to practice her faith in Canterbury at St Martin’s, her personal church. Augustine was eventually successful in his task, going on to establish both Canterbury Cathedral and the Abbey that bears his name.
With Bell Harry Tower still dominating the modern cityscape, Canterbury Cathedral’s stunning combination of Romanesque and Gothic architecture houses a wealth of treasures including the tombs of King Henry IV and the Black Prince. Following Archbishop Thomas Becket’s murder in 1170, stories of miraculous recoveries from illness circulated from visitors to his shrine and Canterbury became a major pilgrimage destination, celebrated in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
The Cathedral is only one third of Canterbury’s UNESCO World Heritage Site: Queen Bertha’s St Martin’s Church, now the nation’s oldest continually used chapel and St Augustine’s Abbey, burial place of Anglo-Saxon kings and archbishops comprise the other historic locations. You can now choose to enjoy a wonderful day out on a guided tour combining all three sites.
The ‘Foundations of Faith’ tour offers a fascinating insight into the introduction of Roman Christianity. You will trace St Augustine’s arrival in Kent and the formation and development of Canterbury Cathedral Mother Church of the Church of England, all as you explore stunning architecture and striking scenery.
This full-day experience features a guided tour at each site, an included sandwich lunch in the wonderful gardens of Canterbury Cathedral, accompanied walks between each location and runs across several bookable dates in 2025.
UNESCO Tour available on
11th July
29th July
1st August
14th August
Private tours can also be arranged at a date to suit you for an additional charge, while group rates are offered for groups of 10+.
To arrange a private tour or a tour for a group contact visits@canterburycathedral.org
More information can be found at www.canterburyunescotour.co.uk
