I decided to right an omission - I had never visited Canterbury, one of our great cathedral cities. And for no reason other than it is the wrong side of London for me. But really to cross London is not such a big deal. SO I got up early and headed out.
Now while Canterbury is undoubtedly a nice city in its own right, and there will be further entries on the rest of the place to follow shortly, one cannot deny that the highlight is the cathedral. Even if it is slightly scarred at the moment by some restoration work
But if you get the right angle you can blot that out!
It is in a tight little close (contrast with Salisbury Cathedral which has much more space in which to breathe), although the houses that line it are nice enough
But the cathedral is pretty awe inspiring. Its origins go back to St Augustine converting the first of the Anglo-Saxon kings to Christianity in 597. the cathedral. like most such buildings, has had lots of additions and changes over the century, but the basics here date back to the 12th century.
The crypt is distinctly Romanesque in style, with these wide round arches.
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| A bit of modern art thrown in |
Edward, the Black Prince
The cloisters are beautiful. I am a sucker for cloisters
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| I think this is a particularly good shot of the cloisters to bring out the dramatic beauty of the fan vaulting |
The Chapter House - great ceiling
The picturesque ruins of the infirmary chapel
The War Memorial Gardens
