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131-454: The manuscript has decorated initials. They are large, and appear alternately in red or blue with pen ornament of the other color. The large initials are twenty percent into the margins. The text is indented around the large initials. At the beginning of each gospel, the large initial is green. The manuscript was probably produced at Canterbury . It contains paleographic evidence of such an origin. The scribes worked from another manuscript (which

262-489: A Life of St Cuthbert . Archaeology provides further evidence for this period, in some cases suggesting that the depopulation of Roman towns and the development of villa and estate organization was already occurring in the 4th century. The 5th and 6th centuries in Britain are marked by a sharp discontinuity in town life, with the exception of a few sites such as Londinium , Eboracum , Canterbury and Wroxeter , but

393-458: A Romano-British king might have wielded considerable power during the sub-Roman period, as demonstrated by the creation of sites such as Tintagel and earthworks such as the Wansdyke . Such interpretations continue to attract the popular imagination and the scepticism of academics. While pushed back politically and linguistically, British scholars and ecclesiastics had a significant impact on

524-506: A community interest company and currently compete in the Southern Counties East Football League . The previous incarnation of the club folded in 2001. Rugby Canterbury RFC were founded in 1926 and became the first East Kent club to achieve National League status and currently play in the fourth tier, National League 2 South . Tour de France The cycling Tour de France passed through

655-561: A "council" was convened by Vortigern to find ways of countering the barbarian threat. The council opted to hire Saxon mercenaries, following Roman practice. After a while these turned against the British and plundered the towns. A British leader, Ambrosius Aurelianus , fought against them in a number of battles apparently over a long period. Towards the end of this period was the Battle of Mons Badonicus , around 490, which later sources claimed

786-447: A 33-metre (108 ft) swimming pool and sports hall for football, basketball, and badminton. Canterbury hosts some 31,000 students and has the highest student to permanent resident ratio in the UK. They attend three universities , and other higher education institutions. The University of Kent 's main campus extends to 600 acres (243 ha) and is situated on Saint Stephen's Hill,

917-789: A British population. Names based on the Anglo-Saxon word for the British, wealh , are also taken as indicating British survival. An example is Walton, meaning settlement of the British and this name is found in many parts of England, though it sometimes means Wall-town . Surviving inscriptions on stones provide another source of information on the settlements of Britons and the Anglo-Saxons. Celtic inscribed stones from this period occur in western England, Wales and southern Scotland. Inscriptions in parts of Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall, are in ogham , some containing forms which scholars have not been able to understand. Two contrasting models of

1048-867: A bishop who ministered to the spiritual needs of the British immigrants to northwestern Spain: in 572 the bishop, Mailoc, had a Celtic name. The settlers had brought their Celtic Christianity with them but finally accepted the Latin Church 's jurisdiction at the Fourth Council of Toledo in 633. The diocese stretched from Ferrol to the Eo River . In Spain, the area has sometimes been dubbed "the third Britain" or "the last Britain". Non-Anglo-Saxon kingdoms began appearing in western Britain, and are first referred to in Gildas' De Excidio . To an extent these kingdoms may have derived from Roman structures. But it

1179-406: A few other documents of the period do exist, such as Gildas' letters on monasticism, they are not directly relevant to British history. Gildas' De Excidio is a jeremiad : it is written as a polemic to warn contemporary rulers against sin, demonstrating through historical and biblical examples that bad rulers are always punished by God – in the case of Britain, through the destructive wrath of

1310-731: A long period. The proximate cause of the end of Roman rule in Britannia appears to have been a power-struggle between aristocrats and Stilicho , a Roman general and strongman of the Roman Empire . In order to protect Italy from invasions by the Visigoths , Stilicho had seriously depleted the Roman forces defending the Limes Germanicus . In the summer of 406 there was a rebellion of legionarii in Britain that resulted in

1441-497: A major military garrison, its position on Watling Street relative to the major Kentish ports of Rutupiae ( Richborough ), Dubrae ( Dover ), and Lemanae ( Lymne ) gave it considerable strategic importance. In the late 3rd century, to defend against attack from barbarians , the Romans built an earth bank around the city and a wall with seven gates, which enclosed an area of 130 acres (53 ha). Despite being counted as one of

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1572-537: A mile north of Canterbury city centre. As of 2014 , it enrolled around 20,000 students. Canterbury Christ Church University was founded as a teacher training college in 1962 by the Church of England ; in 2005 it became a university. As of 2007 , it had around 15,000 students. The Franciscan International Study Centre is close to the University of Kent campus. King's School is the oldest secondary school in

1703-596: A moderate unemployment rate of 2%. This data considers only people claiming either Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit principally for the reason of being unemployed. It does not include those without access to such benefits. At the time, the national rate was 4.2%. A report in 2023 by the Poverty Working Group of the Canterbury Sustainable Development Goals Forum evidenced increasing poverty in

1834-507: A monastery, but later as a princely stronghold and trading post. Another important excavation was at Dinas Powys (Alcock 1963) which showed evidence of metalworking. Alcock also led the excavations at South Cadbury (Alcock 1995). Many other sites have now been shown to have been occupied during the sub-Roman period, including Birdoswald and Saxon Shore forts. Work on field systems and environmental archaeology has also highlighted how much agricultural practice continued and changed over

1965-402: A result of a commission that found them impeding to new coach travel. Canterbury Prison opened in 1808 just outside the city boundary. By 1820 the silk weaving in the city had been supplanted by imported Indian muslins and trade carried out was thereafter largely of hops and wheat . The Canterbury & Whitstable Railway (The Crab and Winkle Way), the world's first passenger railway,

2096-529: A settlement which began to grow rapidly with new refugees arriving from Artois and Flanders . This settlement, in June 1575, almost entirely relocated to Canterbury, which had in the previous year gained a small Huguenot population. A number of refugees also arrived around this time from the temporary Huguenot settlements at Rye and Winchelsea . In 1575, the Huguenot population of Canterbury were granted use of

2227-629: Is The Shakespeare bar which had been a playhouse in the Tudor period . Theatre companies in Canterbury include The Canterbury Players. In common with many English towns and cities in the Middle Ages , Canterbury employed a band of waits . There are records of payments to the waits from 1402, though they probably existed earlier. The waits were disbanded by the city authorities in 1641 for 'misdemeanors' but reinstated in 1660 when they played for

2358-676: Is also clear that they drew on a strong influence from Hibernia , which was never part of the Roman Empire. Archaeology has helped further the study of these kingdoms, notably at sites like Tintagel or the hillfort at South Cadbury . In the north there developed the British kingdoms of the Hen Ogledd , the "Old North", comprising Ebrauc (probable name), Bryneich , Rheged , Strathclyde , Elmet and Gododdin . 5th- and 6th-century repairs along Hadrian's Wall have been uncovered, and at Whithorn in south western Scotland (possibly

2489-451: Is also operated by Southeastern. There is no direct interchange between Canterbury West and Canterbury East stations because the two railways into the city were built by rival companies. Canterbury Parkway railway station has been proposed as an additional station outside of the city, with links to both lines. Stagecoach run local bus routes in Canterbury, as well as long-distance services. Its bio fuel 'Unibus' service operates between

2620-525: Is extant) that is itself a copy of a manuscript that in turn is a translation of the Vulgate , the Latin Bible that was the standard Biblical text of Western Christianity . The manuscript was produced contemporaneously by three scribes. All text is by one hand except for three folios: folio 119 recto which supplies Matthew 25:24 and marginal text on folios 13 verso and 70 verso. The provenance of

2751-587: Is finding more use in the academic community, especially when transformations of classical culture common throughout the post-Roman West are examined. The period may also be considered as part of the early Middle Ages , if continuity with the following periods is stressed. Popular (and some academic) works use a range of more dramatic names for the period: the Dark Ages , the Brythonic Age, the Age of Tyrants, or

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2882-488: Is limited to the Simon Langton Boys School grounds. From 2007 to 2020 Canterbury was also served by the country's first student led community radio station CSR 97.4FM. CSR means "Canterbury Student Radio" but it was a radio station catering to the students of the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University, other educational establishments and the wider community being a collaboration of

3013-451: Is more evidence in the grammar than in the lexicon , though this is challenged by many. Latin continued to be used for writing but the extent of its use for speech has been much disputed. Similarly, studies of place names give clues about the linguistic history of an area. England (except Cornwall and Cumbria ) shows patchy evidence now of Celtic in its place names. There are scattered Celtic place names throughout, increasing towards

3144-470: Is published by KOS Media , which also prints Kent on Sunday . Local radio stations are BBC Radio Kent on 104.2FM, Heart South on 102.8FM and KMFM Canterbury on 106FM. KMFM Canterbury was formerly KMFM106, and from foundation in 1997 until KM Group took control CTFM, a reference to Canterbury's CT postcode. KMFM's studio moved from the city to Ashford in 2008. Canterbury Hospital Radio serves Kent and Canterbury Hospital , and SBSLive's coverage

3275-519: Is relatively little rainfall throughout the year. At the 2001 UK census , the total population of the city itself was 43,432, and 135,278 within the Canterbury district. In 2011, the total district population was counted as 151,200, with an 11.7% increase from 2001, and the population of the city had grown to over 55,000. By 2015, Canterbury's student population, including the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University , and

3406-489: Is still being published, claiming to be the country's second oldest surviving newspaper. It is currently produced as a paid-for newspaper by KM Group in Whitstable with a 25,000 circulation across East Kent. Three free weekly newspapers provide local news. The Daily Mail and General Trust 's Canterbury Times has a circulation of 55,000. Similar circulation Canterbury Extra is owned by KM Group . yourcanterbury

3537-470: Is the home of Kent County Cricket Club , with the St Lawrence Ground hosting many of the team's matches. It has also been used for several One Day Internationals , including an England match during the 1999 Cricket World Cup . The St Lawrence Ground is notable for being one of only two grounds used regularly for first-class cricket that have had a tree within the boundary, the other being

3668-597: Is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement . The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that hinted at the decay of locally made wares from a previous higher standard under the Roman Empire . It is now used to describe the period that commenced with the recall of Roman troops to Gaul by Constantine III in 407 and to have concluded with

3799-626: Is traditionally seen as the significant Christianising event for the Saxons, a bishop had already arrived in Kent with the king's Merovingian wife. Other Saxons remained pagan after this time. In 429, a British Deacon, Palladius , had requested support from the Pope in Rome to combat Pelagianism . Bishops Germanus and Lupus of Troyes were sent. Germanus, a former military commander, is reported to have led

3930-433: The Battle of Deorham in 577. The period of sub-Roman Britain traditionally covers the history of the parts of Britain that had been under Roman rule from the end of Roman imperial rule , traditionally dated to be in 410, to the arrival of Saint Augustine in 597. The date taken for the end of this period is arbitrary in that the sub-Roman culture continued in northern England until the merger of Rheged (the kingdom of

4061-517: The Brigantes ) with Northumbria by dynastic marriage in 633, and longer in the west of Britain, and Cornwall , Cumbria and Wales especially. This period has attracted a great deal of academic and popular debate, in part because of the scarcity of the written source material. The term "post-Roman Britain" is also used for the period; "sub-Roman" and "post-Roman" are terms that apply to the old Roman province of Britannia , i.e. Britain south of

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4192-603: The City Oval in Pietermaritzburg . American Football There have been multiple American football teams based in Canterbury since the game was popularised in the UK. Currently, the city is the home of the East Kent Mavericks , 2023 BAFA National Leagues Southern Football Conference 2 Champions, as well as teams from both universities. Football Canterbury City F.C. reformed in 2007 as

4323-578: The Crab and Winkle line , had a terminus at North Lane station . It ran from 3 May 1830 to 1953 and was the first regular passenger steam railway in the world. Canterbury South railway station was sited on the Elham Valley Railway . The station opened in 1889 and closed, along with the rest of the railway, in 1947. Canterbury West railway station is operated by Southeastern . Canterbury East railway station , (Canterbury's other station)

4454-644: The First World War , barracks and voluntary hospitals were set up around the city. In 1917 a German bomber crash-landed near Broad Oak Road. Mahatma Gandhi visited Canterbury in October 1931. During the Second World War , 10,445 bombs dropped during 135 separate raids destroyed 731 homes and 296 other buildings in the city, including the missionary college and Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School . 119 civilian people died through enemy action in

4585-801: The Forth – Clyde line. The history of the area between Hadrian's Wall and the Forth–Clyde line is similar to that of Wales (see Rheged , Bernicia , Gododdin and Strathclyde ). North of the line lay a thinly populated area including the kingdoms of the Maeatae (in Angus ), Dalriada (in Argyll ), and the kingdom whose kaer (castle) near Inverness was visited by Saint Columba . The Romans referred to these peoples collectively as Picti , meaning 'Painted Ones'. The term " late antiquity ", implying wider horizons,

4716-532: The Local Government Act 1888 . In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , the city came under the control of Kent County Council . Canterbury, along with Whitstable and Herne Bay, is now in the City of Canterbury local government district. The city's urban area consists of the six electoral wards of Barton, Blean Forest, Northgate, St Stephens, Westgate, and Wincheap. These wards have eleven of

4847-581: The Marlowe Theatre and Kent County Cricket Club 's St Lawrence Ground . Canterbury Cathedral is known for its architecture, its music, and for being the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury ; it receives a million visitors per year. The Roman settlement of Durovernum Cantiacorum (" Kentish Durovernum") occupied the location of an earlier British town whose ancient British name has been reconstructed as * Durou̯ernon ("stronghold by

4978-560: The Old English language and the Brythonic language and peoples migrated from south-western Britain to Armorica , which eventually became Brittany . This interpretation particularly appealed to earlier English historians, who wanted to further their view that England had developed differently from mainland Europe, with a limited monarchy and love of liberty. This, it was argued, came from the mass Anglo-Saxon invasions. While this view

5109-536: The Saxon invaders. The historical section of De Excidio is short, and the material in it is clearly selected with Gildas' purpose in mind. There are no absolute dates given, and some of the details, such as those regarding the Hadrian's and Antonine Walls are clearly wrong. Nevertheless, Gildas does provide us with an insight into some of the kingdoms that existed when he was writing, and how an educated monk perceived

5240-651: The Vandals , Burgundians , Alans and Sueves crossed the Rhine and overran the Limes Germanicus . Meanwhile, there were barbarian raids on Britain in 408, but these seem to have been defeated. After 410 Honorius apparently sent letters to the cities of Britain telling them to fend for themselves, though this is sometimes disputed. From the middle of the 5th century the Germanic raiders began to settle in

5371-813: The Whitefriars Shopping Centre underwent major redevelopment. In 2000, during the redevelopment, a major archaeological project was undertaken by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust , known as the Big Dig, which was supported by Channel Four 's Time Team . Canterbury experiences an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), similar to almost all of the United Kingdom. Canterbury enjoys mild temperatures all year round, being between 1.8 °C (35.2 °F) and 22.8 °C (73 °F). There

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5502-772: The alder grove"), although the name is sometimes supposed to have derived from various British names for the Stour . Medieval variants of the Roman name include Dorobernia and Dorovernia . In Sub-Roman Britain , it was known in Old Welsh as Cair Ceint ("stronghold of Kent "). Occupied by the Jutes , it became known in Old English as Cantwareburh ("stronghold of the Kentish men"). The Canterbury area has been inhabited since prehistoric times . Lower Paleolithic axes, and Neolithic and Bronze Age pots have been found in

5633-677: The symphonic repertoire. Other local musical groups include the Canterbury Singers, founded in 1953; Cantemus; and the City of Canterbury Chamber Choir. The Canterbury Festival takes place over two weeks in October including musical events ranging from opera and symphony concerts to world music , jazz and folk . From 2006 to 2015 the July Lounge On The Farm music festival presented rock , indie and dance artists near Canterbury. Cricket Canterbury

5764-662: The 1990s, with a reduction in the numbers of Anglo-Saxons believed to have arrived in Britain. A lower figure is sometimes accepted, which would mean that it is highly unlikely that the existing British population was substantially displaced by the Anglo-Saxons. If fewer Anglo-Saxons arrived, it is proposed that they formed a ruling elite, with acculturation of the local population. Thus some "Saxon" graves may be of Britons, though many scholars disagree. Two genetic studies published in 2016, using data from ancient burials found in Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire and Durham, found that

5895-555: The 28 cities of Sub-Roman Britain , it seems that after the Romans left Britain in 410 Durovernum Cantiacorum was abandoned for around 100 years, except by a few farmers and gradually decayed. Over the next 100 years, an Anglo-Saxon community formed within the city walls , as Jutish refugees arrived, possibly intermarrying with the locals. The town's new importance led to its revival, and trades developed in pottery, textiles, and leather. By 630, gold coins were being struck at

6026-405: The 5th century. In the sub-Roman period, building in stone gradually came to an end; buildings were constructed of less durable materials than during the Roman period. However, brooches , pottery , and weapons from this period have survived. The study of burials and cremations , and the grave goods associated with these, has done much to expand the understanding of cultural identities in

6157-630: The 6th century. After the Norman Conquest there were many books written that purport to give the history of the Sub-Roman period. These have been influenced by the fictionalised account in Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae ( History of the Kings of Britain ). Therefore, they can only be regarded as showing how the legends grew. Not until modern times have serious studies of

6288-550: The Age of Arthur . Little extant written material is available from this period, though a considerable amount from later periods may be relevant. A lot of what is available deals with the first few decades of the 5th century only. The sources can usefully be classified into British and continental, and into contemporary and non-contemporary. Two primary contemporary British sources exist: the Confessio of Saint Patrick and Gildas ' De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae ( On

6419-540: The Anglo-Saxon newcomers through literacy, ecclesiastical social constructs and historical memory of the Roman period in Britain, particularly after the Christianizing of the Anglo-Saxons. Coming from a fully oral cultural background, the Anglo-Saxons were heavily influenced by the more developed Christianized and literate culture of the Britons. British scholars were often employed at Anglo-Saxon courts to assist in

6550-409: The British areas, such as that at Glastonbury , though mostly not until the 6th century; but the "Saxons" were pagan. This reinforced a great antipathy between the peoples. Many Roman cemeteries continued into much later times, such as that at Cannington, Somerset . In the east, there was a gradual transition among the pagan Saxons from cremation to inhumation . Although the arrival of Saint Augustine

6681-529: The British people to rebel against Rome. These arguments are open to criticism, and the question is still open. It was a violent period, and there was probably widespread tension, alluded to in all the written sources. This may have led to the deaths of many Britons. There are also references to plagues. Laycock ( Britannia the Failed State , 2008) suggests tribal conflict, possibly even starting before 410, may have sliced up much of Britain and helped destroy

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6812-616: The British to the "Hallelujah" victory, possibly in Wales or Herefordshire. Germanus is said to have made a second visit to England later. Participation by a British bishop at a synod in Gaul demonstrates that at least some British churches were in full administrative and doctrinal touch with Gaul as late as 455. In the north, Whithorn is said to be the earliest church in Scotland, being founded in 397 by Saint Ninian . Coroticus (or Ceretic)

6943-532: The Britons of South West England (known later as the West Welsh) from those of Wales. (Just after the period being discussed, the Battle of Chester in 611 might have separated the latter from those of the north of England.) Until the 570s, Britons were still in control of about half of England and Wales. Various British kingdoms existed at some point in the period. Some changed their names and some were absorbed by others. Not all of their names, especially in

7074-547: The Canterbury mint. In 842 and 851, Canterbury suffered great loss of life during Danish raids. The siege of Canterbury saw a large Viking army besiege Canterbury in 1011, culminating in the city being pillaged. Remembering the destruction caused by the Danes, the inhabitants of Canterbury did not resist William the Conqueror 's invasion in 1066. William immediately ordered a wooden motte-and-bailey castle to be built by

7205-460: The Emperor and provided military support, whilst retaining their independence. If the theory is correct, Germanic peoples may have been resident in Britain before and after these reforms. One thing led to another to create a spiral. The policy of substituting mercenaries who were paid in gold which should have gone to support the professional standing army and accommodation to their presence spelled

7336-527: The Failed State , 2008) sees Britain violently fragmenting into kingdoms based on British tribal identities; 'violently' is disputable, but clearly most of the civitates gradually transformed into kingdoms. Life seems to have continued much as before in the countryside, and on a reduced scale in the towns as evidenced by the descriptions of Germanus ' visits. It appears that while Roman cities and towns have decreased in size, they retained administrative and symbolic importance for new polities. Gildas says that

7467-723: The North , National Health , Gilgamesh , Soft Heap , Khan and In Cahoots . Ian Dury , front man of 1970s rock band Ian Dury and the Blockheads , taught Fine Art at Canterbury College of Art and early incarnations of his band Kilburn and the High Roads performed in the city. Canterbury Choral Society give regular concerts in Canterbury Cathedral, typically large-scale classical choral works. The Canterbury Orchestra, founded in 1953, perform major works from

7598-408: The Roman city wall. In the early 12th century, the castle was rebuilt with stone. Canterbury Castle was captured by the French Prince Louis during his 1215 invasion of England, before the death of John caused his English supporters to desert his cause and support the young Henry III . Black Death reached Canterbury in 1348. At 10,000, Canterbury had the 10th largest population in England; by

7729-428: The Ruin and Conquest of Britain ). Patrick's Confessio and his Letter to Coroticus reveal aspects of life in Britain, from where he was abducted to Ireland. It is particularly useful in highlighting the state of Christianity at the time . Gildas is the nearest to a source of Sub-Roman history but there are many problems in using it. The document represents British history as he and his audience understood it. Though

7860-433: The Scots ( Gaelic ), the Picts and the Latins " ( HE 1.1). A review of the changes in the Brythonic language during this period is given by Kenneth H. Jackson . Studies of Old English , P- and Q-Celtic , and Latin have provided evidence for contact among the Britons, the Gaels, and the Anglo-Saxons . The consensus is that Old English has little evidence of linguistic contact. Some scholars have suggested that there

7991-409: The Second World War Baedeker Blitz . Survivors include the Huguenot "Old Weaver's House". St Martin's Mill is the only surviving mill out of the six known to have stood in Canterbury. It was built in 1817 and worked until 1890 but is now a residence. The Marlowe Theatre is named after Christopher Marlowe , who was born in the city. It was formerly located in St Margaret's Street but moved to

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8122-445: The Treaty of 382, were allowed to remain with the Empire intact, which reversed the centuries-old Roman policy of destroying barbarian enemies by killing them all, selling them or incorporating them into the Roman army by scattering them across units. The hospitalitas system granted a third of the land (or fees) of a region to barbarians who had invaded and occupied those lands assigned to them. In return, these people declared loyalty to

8253-609: The United Kingdom. St. Augustine established it shortly after his 597 arrival in Canterbury though documented history of it only began after dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, when it took the present name in honour of Henry VIII . The city's secondary grammar schools are Barton Court Grammar School , Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School , all of which in 2008 had over 93% of their pupils gain five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths. The pioneering Canterbury & Whitstable Railway , known locally as

8384-463: The acclamation of several usurpers in quick succession as imperator , a declaration of rebellion against the ruling emperor . The last of these, Constantine III , crossed the Channel at Bononia and took with him all of the mobile troops left in Britain, thus denuding the province of any first line military protection. The Roman forces in Gaul (modern France) declared for him, followed by most of those in Hispania (modern Spain). On 31 December 406

8515-403: The accuracy of these is uncertain. Numerous later written sources claim to provide accurate accounts of the period. The first to attempt this was the monk Bede , writing in the early 8th century. He based his account of the Sub-Roman period in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (written around 731) heavily on Gildas, though he tried to provide dates for the events Gildas describes. It

8646-420: The ancestry of the modern-day English population contained substantial contributions from the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic peoples. Various dates have been proposed to mark the end of Roman Britain , including the end of Roman currency coinage importation in 402, Constantine III 's rebellion in 407, the rebellion mentioned by Zosimus in 409, and the Rescript of Honorius in 410. Unlike modern decolonisation ,

8777-433: The area consists mainly of brickearth overlying chalk. Tertiary sands overlain by London clay form St. Thomas's Hill and St. Stephen's Hill about a mile northwest of the city centre. Canterbury is a medieval city, with Canterbury Cathedral inside the ring of the city walls, forming the historic centre. Of the defensive structures, a section of the medieval walls remains to the south, near Canterbury Castle , while to

8908-402: The area. Canterbury was first recorded as the main settlement of the Celtic tribe of the Cantiaci , which inhabited most of modern-day Kent . In the 1st century AD, the Romans captured the settlement and named it Durovernum Cantiacorum . The Romans rebuilt the city, with new streets in a grid pattern , a theatre , a temple , a forum , and public baths . Although they did not maintain

9039-403: The borough. The most devastating raid was on 1 June 1942 during the Baedeker Blitz . Before the end of the war, the architect Charles Holden drew up plans to redevelop the city centre, but locals were so opposed that the Citizens' Defence Association was formed; it swept to power in the 1945 municipal elections. Rebuilding of the city centre eventually began 10 years after the war. A ring road

9170-416: The church of St Alphedge but in the following year had begun to use the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral as their church. The Church of the Crypt swiftly became the nucleus of the Huguenot community in Canterbury. By the 17th century, French-speaking Huguenots comprised two-fifths of Canterbury's population. The Huguenots had a large influence on the economy of Canterbury, and introduced silk weaving into

9301-487: The city centre and University of Kent . Canterbury has two operational park and ride sites at Wincheap and New Dover Road, both intended for visitors arriving from the south by road. National Cycle Routes 1 runs through Canterbury from Dover and Sandwich to Whitstable . National Cycle Route 18 runs from Canterbury to Ashford . Canterbury's first newspaper was the Kentish Post , founded in 1717. It merged with newly founded Kentish Gazette in 1768 which

9432-751: The city has been occupied since Paleolithic times and served as the capital of the Celtic Cantiaci and Jute Kingdom of Kent . Many historical structures fill the area, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the Westgate Towers museum, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey , the Norman Canterbury Castle , and the oldest extant school in the world , the King's School . Modern additions include

9563-449: The city in 1994, and again in 2007 when it hosted the finish for Stage 1. Hockey Canterbury Hockey Club is one of the largest in the country; it enters teams in both the Men's and Women's England Hockey Leagues . Former Olympic gold medal winner Sean Kerly has been a member. Public Facilities Public sporting facilities are provided at Kingsmead Leisure Centre, including

9694-481: The city using, for example, life expectancy figures and the number of meals provided by the city food banks , as well as interviews with organisations and individuals attempting to help those in danger of and in poverty. This supports earlier findings on poverty in the city. The 17th century, double jettied , half-timbered Crooked House bookshop operated by the Catching Lives homelessness charity at

9825-474: The city which had outstripped wool weaving by 1676. Canterbury remained an important city in the 17th century. Charles I and Henrietta Maria visited in 1625; musicians played whilst the couple entered the city under a velvet canopy supported by six men holding poles. In 1647, during the English Civil War , riots broke out. The riots became known as the "Plum Pudding Riots". The rioters' trial

9956-560: The congregation. With the accession of Mary I , the Huguenot residents of Canterbury were compelled to flee in 1553–4 alongside the English Marian exiles to Emden , Wesel , Zürich , Strasbourg, Frankfurt , and later Basel , Geneva , and Aarau . After the accession of Elizabeth I , a small number of Huguenots returned to London, including Jan Utenhove in 1559. In 1561, a number of Huguenots in London were sent to Sandwich ,

10087-430: The costs of occupation. Nevertheless, the Romans were forced to keep three or four legions, 30,000 to 40,000 men with auxiliary units in place to defend it. They managed fairly well until the collapse of Roman authority after the garrison was reduced in size by Magnus Maximus in 388 and Stilicho in 401. It seems that after 350 the Roman government was having more difficulty in recruiting soldiers. In an effort to remedy

10218-514: The county of Kent , England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour . The city has a mild oceanic climate. Canterbury is a popular tourist destination, with the city's economy heavily reliant upon tourism, alongside higher education and retail. As of 2011, the city's population was over 55,000, including a substantial number of students and one of the highest student-to-permanent-resident ratios in Britain. The site of

10349-469: The dating of the end of Roman Britain is complex, and the exact process is unknown. There is some controversy as to why Roman rule ended in Britain. The view first advocated by Theodor Mommsen was that Rome left Britain. This argument was substantiated over time, most recently by A.S. Esmonde-Cleary. According to this argument, internal turmoil in the Roman Empire and the need to withdraw troops to fight off barbarian armies led Rome to abandon Britain. It

10480-452: The discontinuity in the episcopate also suggests a decline in town life. The Roman villa system, represented by some five hundred archaeological sites, did not survive either; unlike Gaul, in Britain not a single villa name survived into the Germanic period. However, at Chedworth , building work continued: a mosaic within Room 28, discovered in 2020, was designed and created in the middle of

10611-447: The domination of Anglian or Saxon chieftains, later kingdoms: Officially the Roman Empire was Christian at the start of the 5th century, but there is evidence of rural pagan temples being refurbished at the start of this period in western England. However, most temples seem to have been replaced eventually by Christian churches on the same site or nearby. "Celtic" churches or monasteries seem to have flourished during this period in

10742-489: The early 16th century, the population had fallen to 3,000. In 1363, during the Hundred Years' War , a Commission of Inquiry found disrepair, stone-robbing and ditch-filling had led to the Roman wall becoming eroded. Between 1378 and 1402, the wall was virtually rebuilt, and new wall towers were added. In 1381, during Wat Tyler 's Peasants' Revolt , the castle and Archbishop's Palace were sacked, and Archbishop Sudbury

10873-404: The eastern river valleys. Later civil wars seem to have broken out, which have been interpreted either as being between pro-Roman and independence groups or between "Established Church" and Pelagian parties (Myres 1965, Morris 1965), a class struggle between peasants and land owners (Thompson 1977, Wood 1984), or a coup by an urban elite (Snyder 1988). A recent view explored by Laycock ( Britannia

11004-514: The economy. The evidence from land use suggests a decline in production, which might be a sign of population decline. It is clear that some British people migrated to elsewhere in Europe, and Armorica in northwest Gaul became known as Brittany . There is also evidence of British migration to Gallaecia , in Hispania . The dates of these migrations are uncertain, but recent studies suggest that

11135-470: The end of Palace Street, opposite Kings School is frequently photographed for its quirky, slanted appearance. Canterbury Roman Museum houses an in situ mosaic pavement dating from around 300 AD . Other surviving Roman structures in the city include Queningate, a blocked gate in the city wall, and the Dane John Mound , once part of a Roman cemetery . The Dane John Gardens were built beside

11266-443: The end of sub-Roman Britain have been described by Richard Reece as "decline and immigration" and "invasion and displacement". It has long been held that the Anglo-Saxons migrated to Britain in large numbers in the 5th and 6th centuries, substantially displacing the British people. The Anglo-Saxon historian Frank Stenton in 1943, although making considerable allowance for British survival, essentially sums up this view, arguing "that

11397-535: The extent to which life in Britain continued unaltered in certain pockets into the early medieval period. Hilltops, the so-called " hillforts ", castra , and monasteries have been excavated. Work on towns has been particularly important. Work on the hill-forts has shown evidence of refurbishment, and also of overseas trade, in this period. One of the earliest major excavations was at Tintagel (Radford 1939). This uncovered rectangular structures and much Mediterranean pottery. The buildings were initially interpreted as

11528-859: The fifty seats on the Canterbury City Council , which governs the city. The former Holy Cross Church building was officially re-opened by the Prince of Wales as the new Canterbury Guildhall and meeting place of the City Council on 9 November 1978. The Member of Parliament for the Canterbury constituency, which includes Whitstable, is Rosie Duffield formerly of the Labour Party but now sits as an independent. Canterbury district retained approximately 4,761 businesses, up to 60,000 full and part-time employees and

11659-500: The first half of their evening. After an interval, the members sang catches and glees from the club's extensive music library which is now deposited at Canterbury Cathedral's archives. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Canterbury Scene emerged comprising progressive rock , avant-garde and jazz musicians established within the city. Members included Soft Machine , Caravan , Matching Mole , Egg , Hatfield and

11790-461: The following year led to a Kent revolt against Parliamentarian forces, contributing to the start of the second phase of the war. However, Canterbury surrendered peacefully to Parliamentarians at the Battle of Maidstone . By 1770, the castle had fallen into disrepair, and many parts of it were demolished during the late 18th century and early 19th century. In 1787 all the gates in the city wall, except for Westgate —the city jail—were demolished as

11921-479: The greater part of southern England was overrun in the first phase of the war". This interpretation was based on the written sources, particularly Gildas but also the later sources such as the Anglo-Saxon historian Bede , that cast the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons as a violent event. The toponymic and linguistic evidence was also considered to support this interpretation, as very few British place names survived in eastern Britain, very few British Celtic words entered

12052-451: The growing season and made uplands unsuited to growing grain . Dendrochronology reveals a particular climatic event in 540 . Michael Jones suggests that declining agricultural production from land that was already fully exploited had considerable demographic consequences. Slaves were important in the economy and the army in the Roman Empire. Estimates for the prevalence of slavery in the Roman Empire vary: some estimate that around 30% of

12183-585: The history of Britain, but the earlier part (for which other sources are available) is severely muddled. He castigates five rulers in western Britain – Constantine of Dumnonia , Aurelius Caninus, Vortipor of the Demetae , Cuneglasus and Maglocunus ( Mailcun or in later spelling Maelgwn of Gwynedd )  – for their sins. He also attacks the British clergy. He gives information on the British diet, dress and entertainment. He writes that Britons were killed, emigrated or enslaved but gives no idea of numbers. In

12314-559: The late 6th century there was another period of Saxon expansion, starting with the capture of Searoburh in 552 by the dynasty that later ruled Wessex , and including entry into the Cotswolds area after the Battle of Deorham (577), though the accuracy of the entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for this period has been questioned. These conquests are often said by modern writers, on no clear evidence, to have separated

12445-417: The library of Baron Hatton shortly after he died. The manuscript is missing Luke 16:12 through 17:1. Folio 62 is a replacement for the missing text, and shows clear evidence of being supplied by Parker, who perhaps paid a scribe to produce it. Canterbury Canterbury ( / ˈ k æ n t ər b ( ə ) r i / , /- b ɛ r i / ) is a city and UNESCO World Heritage Site , in

12576-479: The management of the kingdoms. This reintroduced British culture to those parts of Britain lost to the British politically. The epitome of this process is the adoption of the legendary British war leader, King Arthur , as the national hero of the English, due to the literary work of Welsh historians. There is evidence for climate change in the 5th century, with conditions turning cooler and wetter. This shortened

12707-504: The manuscript for its first 400 years is unknown. The first sure knowledge of provenance is the signature of John Parker (d. 1618), on the verso of folio i. Parker was the son of Archbishop Matthew Parker . Next there is a signature of Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton (d. 1670), on the recto of folio ii. This manuscript was purchased by the Bodleian Library in 1671 from Robert Scot, a London bookseller who had bought part of

12838-418: The migration from south western Britain to Brittany may have begun as early as 300 and had largely ended by 500. These settlers, unlikely to be refugees if the date was this early, made their presence felt in the naming of the westernmost, Atlantic -facing provinces of Armorica, Kerne/Cornouaille ("Kernow/ Cornwall ") and Domnonea (" Devon "). However, there is clear linguistic evidence for close contact between

12969-515: The mound in the 18th century, and a memorial placed on the mound's summit. Westgate Towers is a museum narrating its earlier use as a jail . The medieval church of St Alphege is as of 2022 used by the King's School . The Old Synagogue , now the King's School Music Room, is one of only two Egyptian Revival synagogues still standing. The city centre contains many timber-framed 16th and 17th century houses but others were destroyed, particularly in

13100-662: The near future. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC South East and ITV Meridian from the Dover TV transmitter. Composer Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) died in Canterbury and is commemorated by a marble bust and memorial tablet in the cathedral. The grave of author Joseph Conrad , in Canterbury Cemetery, is a Grade II listed building . Other people connected with Canterbury include: Sub-Roman Britain Sub-Roman Britain

13231-603: The northwest, the Westgate survives as the Westgate Towers museum . Immediately outside the Westgate is the River Stour which crosses the city from southwest to northeast. A road runs straight across the city from the Westgate, forming the High Street (including St George's Street) and part of the North Downs Way. St Augustine's Abbey lies just outside the city walls. The city became a county borough under

13362-470: The period been undertaken. Later Lives of Celtic saints, although often unreliable, do provide some insights into life in Sub-Roman Britain. For example, there is a description of a dilapidated, but still occupied, Roman villa near Chepstow (probably at Portskewett ) included in an account of a visit by St Tatheus ; and the Roman ruins of Carlisle , as they were in 685, are described in

13493-635: The period. Archaeology has confirmed Germanic burials at Bowcombe and Gatcombe on the Isle of Wight that took place at least 50 years before the dates suggested by historical sources, concurrent with Honorius 's award of land in Gallia Aquitania to the Visigoths in 418. Although radiocarbon dating can provide a rough estimate, this is not accurate enough to associate archaeological finds with historical events. Dendrochronology depends on

13624-591: The period. Archaeology has shown some evidence of continuity with Roman education , trade with the Mediterranean , and with Celtic art . Archaeological excavations in South Wales in 2023 sought evidence of an early medieval monastery and school said to have been founded by St Illtud in the early 6th century, the forerunner of St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major (c.1100). Excavations of settlements have revealed possible changes in social structures, and

13755-582: The population of the Empire in the 1st century was enslaved. A more recent study suggests 10–15% even for the early empire "as any greater estimate would require implausible levels of transformation in a pre-modern context." The difference the lower percentage in the Later Roman Empire can be attributed to fewer slaves in sub-elite households and agricultural estates (replaced by a great expansion in various types of tenancy). The Germanic region

13886-408: The presence of suitable pieces of wood. Coins are often the most useful tool for dating, but no newly minted coins are believed to have entered circulation in Britain after the very early 5th century. There is archaeological evidence of Anglo-Saxons and Britons living on the same site. For example, in the cemetery at Wasperton , Warwickshire , one can see a family adopting Anglo-Saxon culture over

14017-434: The present location in 1984. It was completely rebuilt in 2011 with a main 1,200-seat auditorium and secondary performance space. Its modern structure is a landmark across the city. The University of Kent 's Gulbenkian Theatre serves the city, and incorporates a cinema and café. Other theatrical performances take place at Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey . The oldest surviving theatre building in Canterbury

14148-453: The previous year. The two universities provided an even greater benefit. In 2014/2015, the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University were worth £909m to city's economy and accounted for 16% of all jobs. Unemployment in the city dropped 0.6 percentage points to 1.7% from 2001 to 2007. The registered unemployment rate as of September 2011 stood at 5.7%. By May 2018, the rate had dropped to 1.8%; in fact, Kent in general had

14279-539: The reference was instead to Bruttium , but Gildas describes Britain receiving just such a message. The Gallic chronicles, Chronica Gallica of 452 and Chronica Gallica of 511 , say prematurely that "Britain, abandoned by the Romans, passed into the power of the Saxons" and provide information about St Germanus and his visit or visits to Britain, though again this text has received considerable academic deconstruction. The work of Procopius , another 6th-century Byzantine writer, makes some references to Britain, though

14410-454: The site of Ninian 's monastery). Chance discoveries have helped document the continuing urban occupation of some Roman towns such as Wroxeter and Caerwent . Continued urban use might be associated with an ecclesiastical structure. Western Britain has attracted those archaeologists who wish to place King Arthur as a historical figure. Though there is little contemporary written evidence for this, archaeological evidence does suggest that

14541-480: The situation it resorted to payment instead of provision of recruit, the aurum tironicum . Landowners could pay a set fee to prevent any of their tenants from being pressed into the army (slaves were rarely resorted to even at critical moments in exchange for their freedom). Not enough men wanted to enter military service. The gold from the tax led to a greater use of Germanic or other tribal groups who did not need to be expensively equipped, housed, and paid pensions, as

14672-570: The situation that had developed between the Anglo-Saxons and the Britons . More continental contemporary sources mention Britain, although their information is sparse and open to question. The Historia Nova of Byzantine scholar Zosimus notes in passing that western Emperor Honorius , in the throes of Alaric 's invasion in 410, sent a rescript to British cities that they must look to their own defence. Some historians have suggested that

14803-553: The smaller University for the Creative Arts , was almost 40,000. Canterbury is in east Kent, about 55 miles (89 km) east-southeast of London. The coastal towns of Herne Bay and Whitstable are 6 miles (10 km) to the north, and Faversham is 8 miles (13 km) to the northwest. The city is on the River Stour or Great Stour . The river is navigable on the tidal section to Fordwich, although above this point canoes and other small craft can be used. The geology of

14934-544: The south west of Britain and Brittany across the sub-Roman period. In Galicia , in the north west corner of the Iberian Peninsula , another region of traditional Celtic culture, the Suebian Parochiale , drawn up about 580, includes a list of the principal churches of each diocese in the metropolitanate of Braga : the ecclesia Britonensis , now Bretoña (north of Lugo ), which was the seat of

15065-404: The southeast, are known, nor are the details of their political development; some authority structures left from the Roman period may have continued in charge of some areas for some time. At times some of the kingdoms were united by a ruler who was an overlord, while wars occurred between others. During the period the boundaries are likely to have changed. The major ones were: Some areas fell under

15196-627: The supposed apostle to the Britons of the Clyde and alleged founder of Glasgow , is a shadowy figure. Linguistics is useful in the analysis of culture, and to an extent political associations. Bede in Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (completed in 731) wrote that "currently, [there are in Britain] the languages of five peoples, namely that of the Angles ( English ), the Britons ( Brittonic ),

15327-452: The tax was used to recruit mercenaries as foederati , but it also drained the treasury. Previously foreigners were put into units, the auxilia , officered by Romans. Roman army units, the smaller Later Roman legions , continued to exist but gradually disappeared in the 5th century leaving defence of the Empire to hirelings. After the Battle of Adrianople , the Gothic foederati , by

15458-526: The two university's and broadcasting from studios at both. It replaced the student radio stations that served both university's being UKCR and C4 Radio respectively. In 2020 due to the COVID pandemic the station management decided to hand back the FM licence to OFCOM due to rising costs and has been broadcasting online since. There are plans for CSR to go on the recently awarded digital radio multiplex when it launches in

15589-516: The visit of King Charles II on his return from exile. Civic waits were ultimately abolished nationally by the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 but a modern, early music group called The Canterbury Waits has revived the name. Canterbury's Catch Club was a musical and social club which met in the city between 1779 and 1865. Its male club members met weekly in the winter and employed an orchestra to assist in performances for

15720-442: The west. There are also Celtic river names and topographical names. An explanation of the toponymic and linguistic evidence is that Anglo-Saxon language and culture became dominant due to their political and social preeminence in the south and east of Britain. Names with a Latin element may suggest continuity of settlement, while some places are named for pagan Germanic deities. Names of British origin may or may not indicate survival of

15851-515: Was an apostate Pict king who was the recipient of the letter from Saint Patrick . His base may have been Dumbarton Rock on the River Clyde, and his descendant Rhydderch Hael is named in the Life of Saint Columba . Rhydderch was a contemporary of Áedán mac Gabráin of Dal Riata and Urien of Rheged in the late 6th century, as well as of Æthelfrith of Bernicia . Unlike Columba, Kentigern ,

15982-545: Was beheaded in London. In 1413, Henry IV became the only sovereign to be buried at the cathedral. In 1448 Canterbury was granted a City Charter , which gave it a mayor and a high sheriff ; the city still has a Lord Mayor and Sheriff. In 1519 a public cage for talkative women and other wrongdoers was set up next to the town's pillory at the Bullstake, now the Buttermarket. In 1522 a stone cross with gilt lead stars

16113-413: Was constructed in stages outside the city walls to alleviate growing traffic problems in the city centre, which was later pedestrianised. The biggest expansion of the city occurred in the 1960s, with the arrival of the University of Kent at Canterbury and Christ Church College . The 1980s saw visits from Queen Elizabeth II , and the beginning of the annual Canterbury Festival . Between 1999 and 2005,

16244-732: Was erected at the same place, and painted with bice and gilded by Florence the painter. In the mid-16th century many Huguenots , experiencing persecution and conflict in the Low Countries , fled and resettled in Reformed regions such as England. Canterbury hosted the first congregation of so-called 'refugee strangers' in the country. This first Huguenot church in Canterbury was founded around 1548, in part by Jan Utenhove who relocated from Strasbourg , alongside Valérand Poullain and François de la Rivière . When Utenhove travelled to London in 1549, Francois de la Rivière remained to lead

16375-536: Was never universal – Edward Gibbon believed that there had been a great deal of British survival – it was the dominant paradigm. Though many scholars would now employ this argument, the traditional view is still held by many other historians, Lawrence James writing in 2002 that England was "submerged by an Anglo-Saxon current which swept away the Romano-British." The traditional view has been partly deconstructed (considerably in some circles) since

16506-456: Was one of the main sources of slaves. It was mainly wholesale dealers, who followed the Roman armies, who sold slaves. After the Empire expanded, there were fewer places to obtain slaves. Around 210, piracy increased around the North Sea and boosted the supply, taken from villages in that area, along with those captured for ransom. Britain was not easily defensible. It did not pay completely

16637-548: Was opened in 1830; bankrupt by 1844, it was purchased by the South Eastern Railway , which connected the city to its larger network in 1846. The London, Chatham & Dover Railway arrived in 1860; the competition and cost-cutting between the lines was resolved by merging them as the South Eastern & Chatham in 1899. Between 1830 and 1900, the city's population grew from 15,000 to 24,000. During

16768-500: Was the collapse of the imperial system that led to the end of imperial rule in Britain. However, Michael Jones has advanced an alternative thesis that argues that Rome did not leave Britain, but that Britain left Rome. He highlights the numerous usurpers who came from Britain in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, and points out that the supply of coinage to Britain had dried up by the early 5th century, so that administrators and troops were not getting paid. All of this, he argues, led

16899-509: Was won by King Arthur , though Gildas does not identify him. After this there was a long period of peace. The British seem to have been in control of England and Wales roughly west of a line from York to Bournemouth . The Saxons had control of eastern areas in an arc from East Yorkshire through Lincolnshire and perhaps Nottinghamshire , to East Anglia and South East England . Writing in Latin, perhaps about 540, Gildas gives an account of

17030-468: Was worth £1.3 billion in 2001. This made the district the second largest economy in Kent. Today, the three primary sectors are tourism, higher education and retail. In 2015, the value of tourism to the city of Canterbury was over £450 million; 7.2 million people visited that year, making it one of the most-visited cities in England. A full 9,378 jobs were supported by tourism, an increase of 6% over

17161-706: Was written from an anti-Briton point of view. Later sources, such as the Historia Brittonum often attributed to Nennius , the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (again written from a non-Briton point of view, based on West Saxon sources) and the Annales Cambriae , are all heavily shrouded in myth and can only be used with caution as evidence for this period. There are also documents giving Welsh poetry (of Taliesin and Aneirin ) and land deeds ( Llandaff charters ) that appear to date back to

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