Exploring Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England
Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canterbury Cathedral’s thrilling history spans over 1,400 years, telling the stories that have shaped England.
Cloisters
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, most commonly against the southern flank, usually indicates that it is (or once was) part of a monastic foundation, forming an architectural barrier that effectively separates the world of the monks from that of the workmen.
Work on the reconstruction of the Great Cloister of Canterbury Cathedral began under the work Henry Yevele in 1391 and was completed under Stephen Lote in 1414. Stephen Lote was also responsible for the deconstruction of the earlier Norman Cloisters built by Lanfranc in 1077 when he re-built the Nave. Further restoration work of the Cloisters was undertaken in the late 1870's and then again in 1938.
Work on the reconstruction of the Great Cloister of Canterbury Cathedral began under the work Henry Yevele in 1391 and was completed under Stephen Lote in 1414. Stephen Lote was also responsible for the deconstruction of the earlier Norman Cloisters built by Lanfranc in 1077 when he re-built the Nave. Further restoration work of the Cloisters was undertaken in the late 1870's and then again in 1938.
The Nave
Nave, central and principal part of a Christian church, extending from the entrance to the transepts and flanked by aisles.
The original nave was built between 1070 and 1077 and stood for 300 years before being demolished in 1377 when it was then redesigned by Henry Yevele and was rebuilt built over a period of twenty eight years until its completion under Prior Chillenden in 1405, this is what can be seen today.
The original nave was built between 1070 and 1077 and stood for 300 years before being demolished in 1377 when it was then redesigned by Henry Yevele and was rebuilt built over a period of twenty eight years until its completion under Prior Chillenden in 1405, this is what can be seen today.
Pulpitum Screen / The Crossing
The screen separates the Nave from the Quire and can be dated back to around the middle of the fifteenth century at the time of Prior Thomas Goldstone.
It is a highly elaborate and beautiful piece of work, and is decorated with the carved figures of six monarchs, and once also contained the twelve apostles but these were destroyed by the Puritans. When it was originally erected it would have been decorated in vibrant colours but it is thought this was all washed away in the seventeenth century when the painting of the interior of churches went out of fashion.
The screen has also in the past gone by the name of the Organ-Screen, the Quire Screen and the Screen of Six Kings.
The Crypt
A crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics. In more modern terms, a crypt is most often a stone chambered burial vault used to store the deceased. Crypts are usually found in cemeteries and under public religious buildings, such as churches or cathedrals.
The Western Crypt was completed in 1077 and is the oldest surviving part of the cathedral. It is the largest of its kind in the country.
The Western Crypt was completed in 1077 and is the oldest surviving part of the cathedral. It is the largest of its kind in the country.
The Quire
The majority of the Quire as it is now seen was re-built by William of Sens and William the Englishman between 1174 and 1180 after a fire engulfed the previous Quire completed by Prior's Conrad and Ernulf.
William of Sens started the work but in 1178 he suffered a major accident when he fell from the scaffolding erected in the Quire, the 50 ft fall to the ground, was so severe and his injuries too great that he was unable to continue his work beyond supervising from a bed. He would eventually succumb to his injuries in 1180 when he died in his home country of France.
William of Sens would be succeeded in 1179 by one of his pupils William the Englishman who would go on to complete the Quire in April 1180, and would then go on to focus his attentions on the building of the Trinity Chapel and Corona. Once completed the Quire was 180 ft in length, making it the longest Quire of any English church.
William of Sens started the work but in 1178 he suffered a major accident when he fell from the scaffolding erected in the Quire, the 50 ft fall to the ground, was so severe and his injuries too great that he was unable to continue his work beyond supervising from a bed. He would eventually succumb to his injuries in 1180 when he died in his home country of France.
William of Sens would be succeeded in 1179 by one of his pupils William the Englishman who would go on to complete the Quire in April 1180, and would then go on to focus his attentions on the building of the Trinity Chapel and Corona. Once completed the Quire was 180 ft in length, making it the longest Quire of any English church.
The Gardens
The gardens of the Cathedral are comprised of the Kent Memorial garden, the new herbarium, the campanile mound, the ISC gardens and all of the main public areas surrounding the cathedral itself plus the private canonical gardens – the deanery, the archdeaconry, the canon treasurers garden, and two smaller gardens and some small garden areas behind offices. This is all looked after by a team of 5 gardeners.
The Deanery and the other canonical gardens are part of private residences, but once a year they are opened to the public under the National Gardens Scheme and the cathedral Open Gardens. One of the sights that can be seen on these days can be found with the garden of the Archdeacon where there is what is considered to be one of the oldest mulberry trees in the country.
The Deanery and the other canonical gardens are part of private residences, but once a year they are opened to the public under the National Gardens Scheme and the cathedral Open Gardens. One of the sights that can be seen on these days can be found with the garden of the Archdeacon where there is what is considered to be one of the oldest mulberry trees in the country.
