Canterbury

Canterbury is a city in the ceremonial county of Kent, United Kingdom. It has a population of 43,432 and is home to the Canterbury Cathedral, which has caused the area to have lots of visitors on pilgrimages.

Geography

The city is situated on the river Stour. It is 56 miles south-east of London.

History

The word Canterbury comes from a Saxon phrase meaning 'Kentishmen's city'. The Romans named it Durovernum. In 1170, Saint Thomas Becket was murdered by several of King Henry II's knights in the cathedral. This caused the cathedral to become the site of many pilgrimages, such as those written of in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In World War Two the city became stricken by bombs.

Transport

The A2 and A28 pass through the city.

References

• AA Glovebox Atlas - Britain
• World Book Encyclopedia