Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral is found in Canterbury, England but its story begins in Rome. When Pope Gregory the Great saw little Angle children who were slaves, he thought they looked like angels so he wanted to spread Christianity to their homeland (History and Heritage). He sent St. Augustine to Kent so that the Anglo-Saxons could be converted to Christianity (Crotchet, Dotted 373). The Anglo-Saxon king, Ethelbert, was married to a French Princess who was already a Christian. King Ethelbert permitted Augustine to preach to him and his people, and shortly after he was converted to Christianity (Hibbert 32). Consequently, he became the first Christian king in England (Crotchet, Dotted 373). The King gave St. Augustine a house and a church in Canterbury in 597 and was consecrated as the first Archbishop of Canterbury. Since then, Canterbury Cathedral has been known as a place of worship.

Canterbury Cathedral is most famous for being the site of Thomas Becket’s martyrdom. Thomas Becket and King Henry II were on good terms with each other in the beginning of their relationship; Becket was appointed Chancellor of England, which is the King’s chief secretary (Hibbert 63). However, when Becket became Archbishop of Canterbury, his allegiance shifted towards the Pope and away from Henry. This change in loyalty was demonstrated in an argument Becket had with the King about whether a canon should be tried in a civil court after he had been acquitted in an ecclesiastical court (Hibbert 63). Becket and Henry both refused to compromise or agree to the other’s opinion. The argument escalated as Becket, while in exile, threatened to excommunicate Henry and Henry retaliated by taking his property and having the Archbishop of York crown his son as a “partner in kingship” (Hibbert 64). This was taking away the rights and privileges that Becket had as the Archbishop of Canterbury. Although Henry allowed Becket to return to Canterbury, there were still bad feelings between them and when Henry was heard saying “Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” four knights took him seriously and went to Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170 where they killed Thomas Becket, thinking it was the king’s wishes (History and Heritage). In 1173, Pope Alexander III canonized the martyr Thomas Becket and the Cathedral quickly became a site for pilgrims to pay their respects (History and Heritage). Among those pilgrims was King Henry who thought it necessary to do “public penance” for the death of Thomas Becket, which he did by allowing the seventy monks at Canterbury to scourge him (Hibbert 65). Although he had been annoyed with Becket while he was alive, he hadn’t meant for the argument to go this far and he honored the death of Becket by making his own pilgrimage to Canterbury.

Canterbury Cathedral was a place for monks to worship and study in the 10^th century. This pattern continued through several centuries and Canterbury Cathedral became “a formal community” for Benedictine monks (History and Heritage). These monks continued to have a home at the monastery until King Henry VIII called for the dissolution of monasteries throughout England. Dissolving the monastery did not mean that the Cathedral would not be looked after however. The Dean and Chapter became responsible for the services held at Canterbury Cathedral (History and Heritage). This is the way that the Cathedral is run today, under the Dean and four Canons.

Repairing and remodeling has always been a part of Canterbury Cathedral’s history. In 1011, the Danes destroyed much of the Cathedral so it had to be rebuilt. This building lasted until 1067 when a fire ruined most of the cathedral and the monastery which Lanfranc, who was the first Norman Archbishop, had to rebuild, although parts of the foundation and walls had remained in tact (Crotchet, Dotted 374). During the Civil War, the Cathedral was damaged by the Puritans, so more restoration efforts were necessary in the 1660. Also, in the 19^th century the North West tower was remodeled because it was rendered as unsafe. During World War II, the Cathedral’s Library and Precincts were damaged by enemy bombs, which led to more repairing of the Cathedral (History and Heritage). Though most of the Cathedral has been rebuilt at one time or another, this fact does not diminish its significance. It is not only a display of beautiful architecture, but it is a place of worship and pilgrimage. Canterbury Cathedral has remained a place with centuries of history tied to it.

As I visited Canterbury Cathedral, I felt the quiet awe that surrounds this place of worship. Many people have made a pilgrimage to be where I was standing. The reverence for the martyrdom that so many people feel when they come here was obvious. I could sense the importance of the Cathedral in the lives of so many people. The beautiful architecture was a good symbol of the fact that so much history has passed here. Kings and saints buried here, memorialized for visitors to pay respects. Canterbury Cathedral was a wonderful place to visit.

Works Cited

Crotchet, Dotted. "Canterbury Cathedral." The Musical Times 47.760 (1906): 373-4.

Hibbert, Christopher. The Story of England. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1992.

“History and Heritage.” Canterbury Cathedral. 2 June 2008.

< http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/history/history.aspx>.