7 Best Sights in Canterbury, The Southeast

The focal point of the city was the first of England's great Norman cathedrals. Nucleus of worldwide Anglicanism, the Cathedral Church of Christ Canterbury (its formal name) is a living textbook of medieval architecture. The building was begun in 1070, demolished, begun anew in 1096, and then systematically expanded over the next three centuries. When the original choir section burned to the ground in 1174, another replaced it, designed in the new Gothic style, with tall, pointed arches.

The cathedral was only a century old, and still relatively small, when Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered here in 1170. Becket, as head of the church, had been engaged in a political struggle with his old friend Henry II. Four knights supposedly overheard Henry scream, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" (although there is no evidence that those were his actual words—the only contemporary record has him saying, "What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?").

Thinking they were carrying out the king's wishes, the knights went immediately to Canterbury and hacked Becket to pieces in one of the side chapels. Henry, racked with guilt, went into deep mourning. Becket was canonized, and Canterbury's position as the center of English Christianity was assured.

For almost 400 years, Becket's tomb was one of the most extravagant shrines in Christendom, until it was destroyed by Henry VIII's troops during the Reformation. In Trinity Chapel, which held the shrine, you can still see a series of 13th-century stained-glass windows illustrating Becket's miracles. (The actual site of Becket's murder is down a flight of steps just to the left of the nave.) Nearby is the tomb of Edward, the Black Prince (1330–76), warrior son of Edward III and a national hero. In the corner of Trinity Chapel, a second flight of steps leads down to the enormous Norman undercroft, or vaulted cellar, built in the early 12th century. A row of squat pillars engraved with dancing beasts (mythical and otherwise) supports the roof.

To the north of the cathedral are the cloisters and a small compound of monastic buildings. The 12th-century octagonal water tower is still part of the cathedral's water supply. The Norman staircase in the northwest corner of the Green Court dates from 1167 and is a unique example of the architecture of the times. Another highlight is the almost Disney-like stained glass window "Salvation" by Hungarian artist Ervin Bossányi. Look out for a little padlock with a swastika, a reference to the atrocities that occurred during World War II. You could spend a whole day just appreciating the stained glass panels throughout the cathedral, with some dating all the way back to the mid-1100s (making them among the oldest anywhere in the world).

At the entrance to the cathedral, by Christchurch Gate, is a free-to-enter visitor center, which has more information on the history (and myth) of Canterbury Cathedral. The cathedral is popular, so arrive early or late in the day to avoid the crowds.

Below ground, at the level of the remnants of Roman Canterbury, this small but informative museum tells the story of the area's distant Roman past. Highlights of the collection include a hypocaust (the Roman version of central heating) and two colorful floor mosaics dating from around the year 270 that were unearthed in the aftermaths of the bombs that fell on Canterbury during World War II. Displays of excavated objects—some of which you can hold in the Touch the Past area—and computer-generated reconstructions of Roman buildings and the marketplace help recreate the past.

This huge gate, built in 1517, leads into the cathedral close. As you pass through, look up at the sculpted heads of two young figures: Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, and the young Catherine of Aragon, to whom Arthur was married in 1501 (when he was just 15). He died shortly afterwards, and Catherine married Henry. Jump forward 25 years, and Henry was king. But they had produced no male children, a fact Henry attributed to God's wrath for marrying his sister-in-law. The Pope refused to grant him a divorce, but Henry went ahead and did it anyway, creating an irrevocable breach with the Roman Catholic Church and altering the course of English history forever.

Outside the gate is the tiny Buttermarket, an old dairy market square with a sweet name and an unsavoury past. Before the 16th century, it was called "the Bullstake," because animals were tied here and tortured (a popular activity of the time known as "baiting") before they were slaughtered. Today, it's surrounded by bars and restaurants and leads onto pretty Mercery Lane, with its medieval-style cottages and massive, overhanging timber roofs.

The 12th-century building (which would now be called a hostel) lodged pilgrims who came to pray at the tomb of Thomas Becket. It's a tiny place, fascinating in its simplicity. The refectory, the chapel, and the crypt are open to the public.

For an essential Canterbury experience, follow the circuit of the 13th- and 14th-century walls, built on the line of the Roman walls. Roughly half survive; those to the east are intact, towering some 20 feet high and offering a sweeping view of the town. You can access these from a number of places, including Castle Street and Broad Street, but perhaps the most photo-worthy section is by Canterbury East Station Bridge.

The medieval Poor Priests' Hospital is the site of this quirky local museum, where exhibits provide an overview of the city's history and architecture from Roman times to World War II. It covers everything and everyone associated with the town, including the mysterious death of the 16th-century writer Christopher Marlowe and the British children's book and TV characters Rupert the Bear and Bagpuss. Look out for the beautiful (and tiny) gold dragon pendant, an Anglo-Saxon treasure that was made in Kent around 1,200 years ago.

In medieval times, Canterbury had seven gatehouses guarding entry to the city, but today only this one survives. Still, with its twin castellated towers, it's one of England's finest. Currently under renovation but still open to the public, Westgate Towers contains a small museum with exhibits on the gate's history, including medieval armaments once used by the city guard and artifacts related to the city jail that was here from the 14th century. There are also some surprising links to the United States: one of the prisoners held here, Robert Cushman, was an organizer of the Mayflower voyage in 1620. Climb to the roof for a panoramic view of the city. The entrance is via a bar called The Pound Bar & Kitchen. Be aware that a trip to the top requires climbing five sets of narrow stairs.