October 15, 2007 | 12:00am
It felt so natural to explore the history of the city of Canterbury in Kent. It filled me with a deep sense of satisfaction to visit a great heritage city, which is only an hour and a half away from London by train. The beauty of its story and treasures really appealed to me. It was truly a discovery.
As timeless as this city may be, I have always wondered why the Canterbury Cathedral was an excellent introduction to the greatest classics of English Literature – until now. Outside and inside the Cathedral provided so much famous literary connections that it was just incredible!
Stepping into another charm of the city of Canterbury is The Roman Museum where history flourished beneath my feet. It was hard to believe that I have discovered a 400-year-old underground Roman town with well-kept mosaic floors! The past also includes a gallery of objects and costly imports, as well as authentic reconstructions and a time tunnel that takes you back into history. After the tour of the Roman quest, I bought myself a souvenir – a reconstructed Roman coin, which was mine to keep, to remember “a touch of the past.”
The stories of romance, jealousy and trickery are what I have always read in books or have been told about, but The Canterbury Tales have brilliantly re-created the sights and sounds of a historical era into a journey of medieval Canterbury. The 45-minute visit can really take you into another world! At the end of the journey, you are able to purchase different ranges of merchandise, historic food and wine, pottery and books for a momentous finish. It was well worth it! The experience was very interesting.
Further down is The Museum of Canterbury, truly one of the city’s finest medieval buildings where pieces of history are carefully put together from the past. Surprisingly, the museum has a bigger collection than I thought! The collections and archaeological finds are divided into different galleries, which made such an attractive exhibit. I enjoyed most of the displays only wishing that I could take some home with me.
To suit more specialized tastes is The Royal Museum and Art Gallery (or The Royal Museum and Free Library) located in a high Victorian building along Canterbury’s high street. It covers an extensive collection of both contemporary and historic pieces that almost anyone will love. I’m not sure if they’re for sale, but it would surely be a great keepsake for your living room.
One of the best extant buildings of the city is the 14th century West Gate Towers and The Norman Castle – the first Canterbury Castle that was built in 1066, where sadly, only a part of it is still well kept. But I’m glad that I was still able to climb up to the tower to take a good photograph of the inner part of the castle as a reminder to take home.
But don’t be fooled by this medieval city because as medieval as it sounds, Canterbury offers more specialised retailers alongside other smaller and independent shops. The street cafes and restaurants in the cobbled streets are really no excuse to go hungry! You can also entertain yourself at the theatre or cinema or sit by the River Stour and watch its tranquil surroundings or admire so many of the attractive old houses. I also discovered the Dane John Gardens located in one of Canterbury’s parks where my husband and I enjoyed a pleasant outdoor environment.
The city offers plenty of accommodations, so this is never a problem. You don’t even need to make any advance bookings except in the peak season. Accommodation ranges from guesthouses to bed and breakfasts to self-catering to hotels and you have the choice where you want to be situated, either the city itself or the countryside.
Canterbury, such a picturesque medieval city with a stunning historic layout that has been alive for hundreds of years, is well worth the journey!
