Historical Canterbury, England
Canterbury is a city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the county of Kent in England in the United Kingdom
The broad Canterbury area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age items tracing its history back in time.
The settlement that later became known as Canterbury was captured from the early Celtic inhabitants by the Romans, who installed, for instance, a theatre, a temple, a forum, and public baths. It’s believed it was taken in part by the Romans due to its strategic importance in relation to a number of nearby ports.
In the 3rd century, the Romans built an earth bank around the city and a wall with seven gates, enclosing an area of 130 acres, as defensive measures against ‘barbarian’ attacks.
Canterbury is situated on the River Stour, a major rive of over 40 miles in length. The river in fact marks most of the county boundary between Suffolk (to the north) and Essex (to the south).
Canterbury today has a city population approaching 50,000 people, with a wider Canterbury district population of around 140,000.
More information on historic Canterbury
Canterbury and surrounds are truly rich in historical value. The sites below outline some of this history.
Alternatively, for a visual introduction to historic Canterbury, here’s a video from Through My Lens on YouTube:
On YouTube: A perfect day in Canterbury
And, for a bit more of the general city feeling in Canterbury, here’s a Tour of Canterbury City Centre from Gimbal Walk TV on YouTube:
And here’s an overview of Canterbury’s Roman-era history:
Canterbury Liar’s Walk tours – talk to us!
For info about the Canterbury Liar’s Walk, a fun walking tour of this historic town, drop us a line using the contact form.