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Canterbury Cathedral UK from the south-west. Photo by Antony McCallum.

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian institute in England. It is located in Canterbury, Kent. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury belonging to the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Church of England.

It is the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The cathedral is formally known as the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury. It was founded in 597.

The cathedral welcomes millions of people annually. People visit the cathedral to experience the amazing architecture and history. The martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 draws masses to the cathedral. Let us now look at the Top 10 Amazing Facts about Canterbury Cathedral.

1. It was built in stone by the Normans

The Canterbury was built by the Normans. They used creamy white Caen stone that was imported from France. After the fire in 1070, the cathedral was rebuilt using French limestone imported by William the Conqueror.

The rebuilding was led by Lanfranc who moved to the cathedral from the monastery of St. Etienne. He came with his assistant Gundulf and Architect.

2. Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral

Drawing illustrating the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket. Photo by Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre. .

In 1170, four knights sliced off the top of Archbishop Thomas Becket’s skull. His brains and blood were spilled on the floor. The area around which his blood flew is called the Martyrdom. After the murder, miracles were reported.

Thomas Becket was thereafter made a saint in 1173. Many people flocked to his tomb at the cathedral to pay homage. They bought pilgrim badges as souvenirs.

3. One of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta was made for Canterbury Cathedral

The 1297 version of Magna Carta, one of four originals of the document. Photo by AEMoreira042281. .

Archbishop Stephen Langton was responsible for the negotiations leading up to the acquisition of the Magna Carta. He also helped in drawing up the document.

Due to his involvement, Canterbury was designed as one of the five designated ‘Magna Carta Towns’. The first clause in the Magna Carta places emphasis on the freedom of the church. The copy is now held by the British Library.

4. The cathedral was almost burnt down in 1174

Canterbury Cathedral, Kent. Photo by John Fielding. .

In 1174, sparks set the roof of the Canterbury Cathedral on fire. It is claimed that envious monks started the fire. The Quire was burnt down. Later on, it was rebuilt as the first Gothic building in England until 1184.

Reconstruction was done by William of Sens and completed by William the Englishman. The cathedral survived world war two bombings even after firewatchers threw hundreds of burning incendiary bombs on the roof.

5. It costs around 18,000 pounds to maintain the cathedral daily

The cathedral has employed over 300 staff that is inclusive of 25 stonemasons and eight stained glass convertors. It is necessary to spend 18,000 pounds on the cathedral daily to keep it safe and beautiful.

This is because the cathedral is still active holding at least three services daily. The cathedral holds many community service projects every year.

6. The cathedral prioritized documenting its history

The Canterbury Cathedral served as a place of residence for monks in the 16th century. A document created by Thomas Cawston in 1486 has a list of members of the monastic community from 1207 to 1534. The list has over 1,000 names on it.

This shows just how large the number of monastic communities existed at the time. The list has 500 names of monks who died between 1286 and 1507 with the causes of their death. Even Thomas Cawston’s death is recorded in 1504. The monks’ names provide evidence that a majority of them came from close to Canterbury.

7. The stained glass in the cathedral was used for communication

A man offering silver wire at the tomb of St Thomas. Canterbury Cathedral Stained glass window. Photo by Jules & Jenny. .

The stained glasses in the cathedral were used to communicate to the masses who could not read. Images ingrained in the stained glass represent various lessons. The stained glass from the 10th and 11th centuries remains almost intact.

Later on, the stained glass was installed in the Trinity Chapel to tell the story of the Miracles of Saint Thomas Becket. The Nave and Quire show a series of glassworks called The Ancestors. It illustrates the ancestral line of Christ from Adam. It initially had 86 works but only 43 remain.

8. The cathedral is built utilizing two architectural styles

The first part of the cathedral was built in the Romanesque style. This is the Nave through part of the Quire. The Romanesque style is defined by arches that are completely rounded.

This style has been attributed to Anglo-Norman society. It was designed by Gundulf, an architect. The second style is the Early Gothic style. This is illustrated by the slightly pointed arches in the Quire and the Trinity Chapel.

9. It is home to many tombs

Graveyard in St. Thomas the Martyr. Photo by Immanuel Giel. .

The area around Quire and the Trinity Chapel is home to tombs. Archbishops and several royalties are laid to rest in the cathedral. Edward, ‘The Black Prince’ born in 1330 and died in 1376 was buried here. He was heir to King Edward the third and he died before inheriting the crown.

King Henry the seventh born in 1367 and dying in 1413 was also buried here. The Duchess of Brittany Joan was also buried in the cathedral. She was born in 1368 and died in 1437 and was married to Duke John the seventh. After her husband’s death, she got married to King Henry becoming Queen of England. Archbishop Becket was also buried here.

10. The cathedral had a magnificent piping system

The water plan was designed by Prior Wilbert. The system transported around 10,000 liters of fresh, pressured water every hour from a spring-fed pond. The pond was located a kilometer north of the cathedral. The plan was drawn with extreme accuracy.

This was necessary in case repairs had to be done. Colour codes were used to represent the direction of the water. While green represented freshwater, strong red represented sewerage, and orange-red represented water that had passed through the central depot in the cloister.