Book Description

Between the Celtic tribe of the Iron Age—the Cantiaci—and the twenty-first-century inhabitants of Canterbury, three millenia stand during which the city has enjoyed unparalleled fame, particularly since it became the religious heart of the country in AD 597. While ambling through the streets of modern Canterbury, one is able to—if careful enough to do so—get the feel of the medieval city. There must be reasons for that enduring impact of the past and it might be because of the overwhelming wealth of people who have left their mark as well as events of momentous importance that took place there. Canterbury: A Medieval City will take the reader on a trip through time, space and history, as well as literature. It will enable him to apprehend the magnitude of the history of the place and the reasons why Canterbury has become the magnet it is nowadays for people from all over the world, the “mecca for tourists” as it is advertised on some websites. While illustrious figures are dealt with in the articles contained in the book, such as Saint Augustine, Thomas Becket, and Geoffrey Chaucer—who account for the renown of the place and have indeed helped to shape national identity—it is also possible to catch a glimpse of the less notorious personalities and facts that have also worked to give Canterbury its deeply ingrained identity: people like priors, as well as the many different ways which the city functioned.