July 15 (Wednesday) – Canterbury

Today was a train ride to Canterbury to see the cathedral, abbey, and anything else that caught our interest.

The walk from the train station to town went through the medieval gate in the old city wall.
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-DSC_7037

The main street through town was very crowded with tourists, locals, and university students.
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-DSC_7072
and was lined with lovely, very old buildings including a number of the original classical Tudor half timbered buildings.
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150413

Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150414

The public library and museum on the main street was particularly pretty.
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150415

There were the usual local pubs (in very old buildings) with the window boxes full of flowers. 
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150447

The University of Kent was having its graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral.  Fortunately this allowed for great people watching with lots of young people walking the streets and the cathedral in their caps and gowns.  Unfortunately, the greater part of the cathedral was closed to tourists because of the celebration. There was a very long line of friends and families waiting to enter the cathedral for the service.
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7039
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150423
Students waiting the cloisters for the service to begin
We were fortunate to have good weather that enabled us to get some good pictures. 
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7057

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150417

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150418

However, we did see a fair amount of the cathedral including the cloisters...
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7041

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7045

some ancient medieval features...
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150429

the Crypt...

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150427
In the Crypt
and the spot in the cathedral where Thomas à Becket was murdered (site of an eternal flame). 
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7046

The parts of the cathedral and ceiling that we could see were spectacular...
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7056

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150421

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150434

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150436

We have really enjoyed the stained glass windows in the cathedrals.
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7048

Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-DSC_7054

The cathedral has some lovely gardens...
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150428

that included ruins of the city wall.
Canterbury-Cathedral--England-2015-P7150424

Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150438

After touring the cathedral we headed off to the ruins of St. Augustine’s Abbey.  Much of the abbey was razed by Henry VIII during the dissolution of the Catholic Church in England. 
St-Augustine-Chapel--Canterbury--England-2015-DSC_7060

St-Augustine-Chapel--Canterbury--England-2015-DSC_7062

St-Augustine-Chapel--Canterbury--England-2015-DSC_7065

St-Augustine-Chapel--Canterbury--England-2015-P7150445

Then it was off to find the old Medieval City Wall.  While interesting, it had been restored recently so it seemed to be just a relatively new, really long, raised, pedestrian walk with occasional half round towers with arrow slits. 
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-DSC_7068
Rebuilt old city wall
So we headed back through more interesting sections (i.e. old sections) of town...
Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150440

Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150441

Canterbury-Town-England-2015-P7150442

to the main drag (variously named St. Peters Street, High Street, The Parade and St. George’s Street, depending on where you are on the dozen or so blocks through the old section of town).  We stopped for milk shakes at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen, best chocolate shakes ever, with little chunks of chocolate chips in it.  Unfortunately, the chocolate shake stuff hadn't been delivered so we settled on peanut butter shakes and Oreo shakes, also very good.

Then it was the long train ride back to London and dinner near the hotel.

No comments: