Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chaucer was a populist author of his day. Here, inside the ancient setting of St.
Margaret's church, which gets a splendid makeover as a scene from 14th-century
England, Chaucer's stories (and the murder of Thomas Becket) come to life for all
the family. Headsets, tableaux, and life-size figures enhance the experience.
23 St. Margaret's St. (off High St., near the cathedral).
&
01227/479227.
www.canterburytales.org.uk.
Admission £7.95 adults, £6.95 students and seniors, £5.90 children 5-15, free for children 4 and under.
Mar-June and Sept-Oct daily 10am-5pm; July-Aug daily 9:30am-5pm; Nov-Feb daily 10am-4:30pm.
Museum of Canterbury
MUSEUM Here you'll find the city's history, from
the Romans to Nazi bombs, Viking raids to religion, told with an impressive array of
interactive, family-friendly video, computer, and hologram effects. Also celebrated are
the children's animated TV series
Bagpuss
and
The
Clangers,
which were created
nearby, and author Joseph Conrad—he lived nearby and his study is here. The setting
is the ancient Poor Priests' Hospital with its medieval interiors and soaring oak roofs.
Within it is the Rupert Bear Museum, a homage to the oh-so-English cartoon bear,
which is as appealing to grandparents who remember the pioneering strips in the
Daily Express
as to youngsters who can play with giant toys.
Stour St.
&
01227/475202.
www.canterbury.gov.uk Admission £8 adults; £6 students and seniors; up
to 4 children 5-16 free per family. Daily 10am-5pm (last admission 4pm). Closed Christmas week, Box-
ing Day, New Year's Day, and Good Friday.
St. Augustine's Abbey
ABBEY This is where the cathedral's founder was
buried; only ruins remain, but it is still a major religious site. After Augustine was sent
by Pope Gregory to convert the Saxons, Ethelbert, the Saxon king, allowed Augustine
and his followers to build a church outside the city walls, and it endured until Henry
VIII tore it down. The abbey church rivaled the cathedral in size, and the ruins are still
cathedral-like in their proportions. Nearby are the abbey buildings that were converted
into a royal palace by Henry VIII and used briefly by several monarchs, including
Elizabeth I and Charles I. Entry includes an audio tour and the small museum.
Corner of Lower Chantry Lane and Longport Rd.
&
01227/767345.
www.english-heritage.org.uk.
Admission £4.50 adults, £3.80 students and seniors, £2.30 children 5-15. Mar 21-June 30 Wed-Sun
10am-5pm; July-Aug daily 10am-6pm; Sept-Mar 20 Sat-Sun 11am-5pm.
St. Martin's Church
CHURCH The oldest church in the English-speaking world
still used for worship, this was Augustine's first project when he arrived in a.d. 597.
However, it was built on the site of a Roman building, and it's possible that some of
the walls are actually from the Roman period. The place is a jigsaw of time: The nave
is mostly masonry but with occasional courses of Roman brick; the chancel is similar,
but its east wall is flint, although one end, and part of the south wall, are wholly of
Roman brick. As a whole, the church is distinctly of the 7th century.
Church St.
&
01227/768072.
www.martinpaul.org. Free admission. Open daily during daylight hours.
Where to Eat
ABode Canterbury
ENGLISH/CONTINENTAL The beautifully
designed restaurant, part of the Michelin-starred chef 's empire, is in the ABode, the
town's top hotel (see below). Local ingredients from Kent, the “garden of England,”
are used, and the cooking is simple and effective. One of the signature dishes is roast
sirloin of Kentish beef with wild mushroom purée, roasted salsify, and Madeira jus.
You might also find local rabbit, and seafood from Whitstable.
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