Canterbury, Kent

Historical Description

Canterbury, a parliamentary and municipal borough, and a county borough in Kent. It is also a county in itself. It is the metropolitan see of all England, the capital of the county, an important market-town, a principal station on the L.C. & D.R., and also on the Ashford and Margate branch of the S.E.R., is 55 miles from London by road and 62 by railway, 14 from Margate, 16 from Dover, and 7 from Whitstable. Its site is a valley surrounded by hills, its appearance as seen from any point is highly picturesque, and its environs are diversified and very pleasant. Canterbury returned two members to Parliament until the Redistribution of Seats Act in 1885, when it was deprived of one. Area of the parliamentary borough, 3834 acres; population, 22,710; area of the county and municipal borough, 3971 acres; population, 23,062.

History.-Canterbury rose prior to the era of authentic history, and comes into view as a British town under the name of Dwrhwern. The Romans made it one of their principal stations, rebuilt and strengthened it over nearly the whole area occupied by the modern town, and called it Duro-vernum. The Saxons made it the capital of the kingdom of Kent, and called it Cantwarabyrig, " the stronghold of the men of Kent." The arrival of Augustine in 597, followed by the conversion of Ethelbert, gave it consequence as the source of Christianity to England, and as the cradle of the metropolitical see. The Danes took it in 843, 852, 918, and 1011, but were repelled successively by Elfleda and Canute. It had a castle before the Conquest, and was called Civitas Cantuariae at Domesday. It had begun at the fall of the heptarchy to be eclipsed by Winchester and London, and it continued for ages to decrease in comparative importance, but at the murder of Thomas a, Becket in its cathedral in 1170 it burst into celebrity as one of the most notable towns in Europe. Pilgrims of all ranks from all parts of Christendom crowded to its gates, and the romancers placed it side by side with Cologne and Compostella.

Walls and Streets.-Walls most probably were built around the town by the Romans, walls certainly stood around it in the time of the Saxons, new walls and a ditch were formed in the time of Richard I., and these were renovated in 1374-81 by Archbishop Simon of Sudbury. The area within them has been found to contain many Roman bricks, pavements, vases, lachrymatories, and personal ornaments at about 6 or 9 feet beneath the surface, and therefore was occupied by Roman houses. The walls were 6 feet thick, composed of large masses of chalk cemented with a strong mortar and lined and faced with flint, were surmounted by twenty-one turrets at equal distances, and had six gates. Portions of the walls, with two or three of the turrets, still stand in Broad Street, and on the south side of Dane John. The west gate also still stands contiguous to the river, and is a noble embattled structure flanked by two lofty round towers. The ditch around the walls was originally 150 feet wide, but most of it is now built upon or converted into gardens, the chief of which is the picturesque Dane John. Part of the present town is without the walls, and much is modern, handsome, and substantial, but most of it within the walls is ancient. The High Street presents gabled ends and projecting fronts. Alleys and lanes toward the cathedral and its precincts look antiquely picturesque. Mercery Lane, leading on" the High Street, was named from the mercery-stalls at which pilgrims bought memorials of their visit, and contains some window arches of the " Checquers of the Hope" noted by the lively and laughter-loving Chaucer, and the first opening west of this lane shows part of the court into which the pilgrims rode. An inn still standing, called the Red Lion, entertained the ambassadors of Charles V. in 1520, and another ancient bat modernized inn, called the Star, in the suburb of St Dunstan, on the way from the railway station to the centre of the city, was a hostel for pilgrims who arrived after the shutting of the gates at nightfall.

Public Buildings.-The guildhall, situated in High Street, was built in 1439 and rebuilt in 1697, has been exteriorly modernized, and contains pieces of ancient armour and some curious portraits. In 1880 the whole of the interior was rearranged and redecorated. The court or sessions-house is a modern structure in the suburb of St Augustine. The prison, a red brick building, adjoins the court-house in the suburb of St Augustine, is an erection of 1808 on the radiating plan, with the keeper's house and chapel in the centre. The music hall is in St Margaret Street. The theatre is in Guildhall Street, was built in 1861, and will hold 800 persons. The royal cavalry barracks were built in 1794, form three sides of a square, and present a striking appearance. The old infantry barracks were built in 1798, with accommodation for 2000 men, formed for some time a station for the horse and foot artillery, and are now used for depots of cavalry. The present infantry barracks were built in 1811. The military hospital is situated behind the barracks. The keep of the ancient castle stands in Castle Street, adjacent to the site of one of the city gates, measures 88 feet by 80, and is now occupied by the Gas and Water Works Company. The castle was taken without resistance in the time of King John by Louis of France, became afterwards a prison, and was notable for the incarceration of the Jews. The mound on which the donjon stood (now called the Dane John), has, along with part of the city walls, been converted into a city-mall 1130 feet long, laid out in spiral walks and shrubberies, and commands a grand view of the cathedral. An adjacent field outside the walls was the scene of the martyrdoms in the reign of Mary, and bears the name of the Martyrs' Field. The Archbishop's palace, founded in the time of the Saxons, rebuilt by Lanfranc and extended by Hubert Walter and Stephen Langton, stood in Palace Street, and its remains are now used partly as the junior department of the King's School, and partly as the house of the surveyor of the chapter. This was the scene of the death of the Black Prince, of the prelude of the murder of Thomas a Becket, of the bridal feast of Edward I., and of banquets to Henry VIII., Charles V., and Elizabeth. The Canterbury Museum and Free Library, in Guildhall Street, was founded in 1826. The library has over 5000 volumes. The museum contains many curiosities and Roman antiquities. There is a school of art in connection with the Art Department, South Kensington. A swimming bath in Whitehall Boad was built in 1876. The Agricultural Hall, a very fine building just outside the city wall, is much used for cattle and flower shows. The Masonic Temple, situated in St Peter's Street, is a fine building. The town has an excellent system of sewage; the works are situated on the Stun'y Road. The cattle market is a large one; the markets are held fortnightly on Mondays. Other markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday in each week.

The Cathedral.-A church was built by St Augustine on the site of the cathedral, greatly injured by the Danes in 938, restored by Archbishop Ido in 940-60, damaged again by the Danes in 1011, and almost destroyed by fire in 1067; it contained the bodies of St Blaize, St Wilfred, St Dunstan, St Alphege, and St Andoen, the heads of St Swithin and St Furseus, and the arm of St Bartholomew. The present edifice was commenced in 1070-86 by Archbishop Lanfranc, extended, altered, and restored by successive prelates till 1495, and has undergone great and costly renovations. It exhibits, in its various parts, all the styles of architecture, from Early Norman to Perpendicular, makes grand displays of them, both in their respective features and in their junctions with one another, and is especially rich and large in Transition Norman and Perpendicular English. It has a crypt with vaulted roof 14 feet high, supported on massive pillars, and the whole building stands aloft on a height of base and with a force of character unsurpassed in any other cathedral, dominating over the city around it like an abrupt, isolated, spiry hill over some miles of plain. It consists of a south porch; a nave of nine bays, with aisles; a central transept, with two chapels; a choir of six bays, with aisles; a choir-transept, with two apsidal chapels in each wing; a presbytery of two bays, with aisles, and with northern and southern apsidal chapels; an eastern ambulatory, with aisles; a main apsidal chapel of four bays, with magnificent procession-path and aisles; and a circular structure to the east of this, called Becket's Crown; and it has a central tower and two western towers. The dimensions of the cathedral are-nave, 220 feet long and 72 in breadth; choir, 180 feet in length and 40 in width; great transept, 124 feet long; choir transept, 154 feet long; cloisters, 144 feet square; Trinity chapel, 71 feet long and 69 in breadth; external length, 530 feet; internal length, 514 feet; western towers, 157 feet in height; central or Bell Harry Tower, 235 feet; including its pinnacles, 249 feet. The nave has no triforium; the main transept has no aisles; the choir is approached by noble flights of stairs, and offers the earliest instance of the pointed arch in England; the screen is of the 15th century, with niched imagery of founders and saints, and was recently restored; the throne was carved by Flemish workmen, and cost —E1200; the pulpit is of stone, by Butterfield, and was put np in 1846; the main apsidal chapel is approached by broad nights of stairs, contained the gorgeous shrine of St Thomas a Becket, and has a curious mosaic pavement, with the signs of the zodiac; the central tower is of two stages, with octagonal turrets at the angles, and has been called "the glory of all towers;" and the western towers are each of six stages and much beauty, one of them rebuilt in 1840 at a cost of £25,000. Effigies, altar-tombs, and other monuments, in great variety, are dispersed through the various parts of the pile to the memory of the archbishops and many other notable persons, including Henry IV., Queen Joan of Navarre, Edward the Black Prince (whose surcoat, gauntlets, and shield hang above his tomb), a Lady Mohun, a Countess of Athole, Admiral Sir G. Rooke, Sir John Boys, Hadrian Saravia, Orlando Gibbons, W. Shuckford, Odo Coligny, a Marquis of Dorset, and a Duke of Clarence.

The edifice served, throughout Roman Catholic times, both as a cathedral and as a conventual church. A Benedictine priory stood connected with it, and was known as the convent of Christ's Church. A massive wall surrounded the precincts, and served at once for defence and for seclusion. The passage from the priory led to the choir-transept through a circular chamber, now used as a baptistery. The old library, on the site of the prior's chapel, contains many valuable books and manuscripts belonging to the late venerable Benjamin Harrison, M.A., archdeacon of Maidstone. The Cathedral library contains a large collection of Greek and Roman coins and old Bibles. The Chapter House, approached from the east walk, is a fine building with an exquisitely carved roof of Irish oak; its dimensions are-90 feet long, 37 broad, and 54 high. The cloisters are on the north side of the nave, measure 144 feet by 144, and have eight bays on every side. The space southward of the choir formed the cemetery, or God's acre, sown with the seed of the resurrection. ' The Oaks' was the convent garden; the Norman doorway is in the precinct gate eastward of the choir. The ancient stone house on the left side turning round the Becket's Crown formed the Honours, the guest-hall (a nave and aisles 150 feet by 40 feet), for the reception of visitors. Considerable remains of the infirmary are observable, the chapel and common-hall, of flint, with three tall pointed windows, built in 1342. Near it was St Thomas' well. At this point occurs ' the Dark Entry,' a Norman cloister built by Prior Wibert about 1167, with a curious bell-shaped tower, which served as the monks' conduit; above it is now the baptistery. On one side is the gate of the great cloisters. The arch and ruins towards the Green Court are those of La Gloriette, the prior's rooms built by Prior Hathbrand in 1379. Passing the chapter, once the prior's chapel library, the Prior's or Court Gate leads into the Green Court. In the Green Court is the Deanery, a fine house, containing the portraits of many former deans of Canterbury. It was built by Dean Godwin in 1570, after a fire on the site of the Prior's lodgings. In it Hooper welcomed Queen Mary. At the north-east corner a large gateway opens into the fellings or foreigns, the space beyond the conventual jurisdiction. On the north side were the ancient dean's great hall, water-house, granary, refectory, frater-house, brew-house, bake-house, and domestic buildings, among which great part of the dormitory remains, with a gateway and steps. At the north-west angle is the Norman precinct gate of the priory, which stood on the south side of the court; the back entrance to it or Larder Gate still remains. At the south-west angle is the arched door which led to the palace. The strangers' hall was on the west side. In the north-west angle is likewise the Norman staircase, with an open arcade which led into the north hall, 150 feet by 40 feet, allotted to the stewards of the prior court; the arches on which it was supported alone remain; above them the King's School was built by Mr Austen in 1855. They form a passage into the Mint yard. It is the only staircase of the period known to be in existence. In the King's School were educated Harvey the physician, Lord Thurlow, and Lord Tenterden. Within the ancient almonry, on the northwest of the Green Court, stood the chantry of St Thomas a Becket, which Henry VIII. converted into a mint, and Cardinal Pole made the King's school. In the high wall, probably a portion of Lanfranc's building, leading to the northwest entrance of the cathedral, are the remains of the covered way to the cloisters, by which the primates entered, but their ordinary approach was through a large gateway with a square tower of flint and ashlar."

Ancient Monasteries.-An abbey was founded by St Augustine outside the walls in the eastern suburb of Long-port. It was designed by him mainly as a mausoleum for bishops and kings; it became the burial-place of himself and his successors, and of Ethelbert and his successors; it possessed much grandeur as an edifice, and great wealth and consequence as a monastery; it was always regarded as more sacred and important than the cathedral, till the latter outshone it by means of the glory of Becket's shrine, and it competed to the last with the convent of Christ Church in the splendours and fetes of its guest-hall. The buildings of it were greatly injured at the Reformation, were, some time after, partly converted into a royal palace, were subsequently given to Lord Woton, were several times damaged by fire and by flood, were eventually degraded to the uses of a brewery, and were purchased in 1844 by Mr Beresford Hope, and the Augustine Missionary College was erected on the site. Richard II. and his queen were guests in the abbey, in its original condition; and Elizabeth, Charles I., Henrietta, and Charles II. were in it when a palace. The guest-hall is preserved in the refectory of the missionary college; but the only other portions of it which remain are some wall fragments of late Norman character, the cemetery gate built in the time of Richard II., and a superb great gateway built in 1287, flanked by two turrets and embattled. A ruined chapel, 31 feet by 21, at the north-east angle of the cemetery, was originally Ethelbert's heathen place of worship, was changed, at his conversion, into a Christian church, dedicated to St Pancras, and was rebuilt in 1387. A Dominican friary, in St Peter's Street, was founded in the time of Henry III., and has left considerable remains. Part of it was formed into private dwellings and a wool-house, part became a Baptist meeting-house, and the refectory, with windows high in the wall, is now a Unitarian chapel, and was noted for the preaching of Defoe. A Franciscan friary, in the same vicinity, was founded in 1220, but has disappeared. Lord Badlesmere, steward of the household to Edward II., and many other men, were buried in it. A priory of St Gregory, for Augustinian Black canons, in Northgate Street, was founded by Lanfranc, but also has disappeared. A house of the Knights-Templars stood near the Dominican friary, and after the suppression of the Templars was used by the priests of the Black Prince's chantry. A Benedictine nunnery, in the eastern suburb, contiguous to Watling Street, about½ mile from the city walls, was founded by Archbishop Anselm, had, for one of its nuns, Elizabeth Barton, the " Maid of Kent" after her removal from Aldington, and has left some small remains.

Churches.-The benefices of the city were rearranged under a commission issued by Archbishop Tait, and consist of St Mildred with St Mary de Castro, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor; of St Alphage with All Saints, St Dunstan, St Gregory the Great with St Mary Northgate, St Martin with St Paul, and St Peter with Holy Cross, all in the gift of the Archbishop; St George with St Mary Magdalene, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter; St Margaret with St Andrew and St Mary Bredman, in the gift of the Archdeacon of Canterbury; and St Mary Bredin, in the gift of the Simeon Trustees.

St Mildred's Church occupies the site of a previous church, is partly Later English, consists of three aisles and three chancels, with a square tower, includes Roman bricks in its walls, and contains monuments of the Attwoods, the Cran-mers, and others. St Alphage's Church, in Palace Street, is of considerable antiquity; consists of two aisles and two chancels, with a square tower, and has some curious epitaphs. St Andrew's Church superseded a previous one about 1763, is a brick structure, and consists of two aisles and a chancel, and is now used as a mission hall. St Mary Bredman's Church shows Norman features, and has a monument of Heme, the historian of Reculver. St Dunstan's Church, without the walls, is a modernized ancient structure, with Norman features; consists of two aisles, a small western chancel, and two large eastern ones, with western tower and contiguous half-circular tower, and contains a piscina, a font, an ancient chantry, and the burial vault of the Ropers, with the head of Sir Thomas More. A brick gateway nearly opposite, now part of a brewery, is a remnant of the Roper's manor-house, where Margaret, the learned daughter of Sir Thomas More, spent her married life. St George's Church is a modernized ancient Norman structure, consists of two chancels and two aisles, with a square tower and a narrow turret, and contains an ancient octagonal font and a brass of 1531. St Gregory's Church, situated near the Military Road, erected by Scott in 1848 as a memorial to Archbishop Howley, is in the Early English style. St Margaret's Church, in St Margaret Street, has suffered much from mutilation, was partially restored in 1831, consists of three chancels and three aisles, with a square tower, and contains a monument of Somner, the city historian. St Martin's Church, without the walls, on a hill, with a fine view, about half a mile from the cathedral, was originally the oratory of Queen Bertha, became the first church or cathedral of St Augustine, and afterwards the church of a resident suffragan bishop, is a small edifice, rebuilt at a remote date on the site of the original church sad including portions of thit church's walls, with Roman bricks and fragments of Roman mortar. Dean Stanley called it " The Mother Church of England;" and, without doubt, it would be hard to find its equal. It has been well restored, has modern stained glass windows, with subjects of its early history, and contains a large Norman font, traditionally alleged to have been that in which Ethelbert was baptized. Byzantine and Merovingian looped coins have been found in the churchyard. St Paul's Church is Early English, comprises two chancels and two aisles, with a rudely-formed square tower, and contains a very curious pillared font, and a tomb of Admiral Rooke. St Martin and St Paul constitute a united parish. St Mary Bredin's Church was originally Norman, was rebuilt in 1867 at a cost of £4000, and is in the Early English style, of flint with dressings of Bath stone. St Peter's Church, situated in St Peter's Street, has very thick walls, curious square columns, and an old square font. Holy Cross Church, close to Westgate, was rebuilt about 1381, and consists of three aisles and a chance], with a square tower. St Peter and Holy Cross constitute a united parish. There are a Jews' synagogue, meeting houses for the Society of Friends and Plymouth Brethren, and Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Wesleyan chapels. The Catholic Church, situated in Burgate, dedicated to St Thomas, is most beautifully decorated, and contains several very fine shrines and font with carved oak canopy. The cemetery, near the Whitstable Road, comprises an area of 12 acres.

Schools, &c.-The King's School, already incidentally mentioned, was founded by Henry VIII. A blue-coat school was founded by the city corporation out of a gift by Queen Elizabeth of an hospital and its lands, but has been merged in a new scheme, called the Simon Langton Schools, capable of educating about 300 boys and girls at moderate fees. St Augustine's Missionary College, at St Augustine's Abbey, was incorporated in 1848, consists of warden, sub-warden, and six fellows; trains young men for the service of the Church of England in the distant dependencies of the empire, possesses endowments and exhibitions from a number of different benefactors, and forms a quadrangle, including hall, chapel, library, cloisters, and corridor, in the monastic style, by Butterfield. The philosophical Institution, in Guildhall Street, was built by subscription in 1826, is an ornamental edifice, with Ionic portico, and contains a museum with some interesting collections.

Eastbridge Hospital was founded either by Lanfranc or by Becket, originally to receive " wayfaring and hurt men" maintains inmates, and gives out-door relief, is connected with a school for 20 children founded by Whitgift, and has an income of £512. St John's Hospital was founded by Lanfranc, was recently restored, includes an ancient arched wooden gateway, and has an income of £485. Harbledown Hospital also was founded by Lanfranc, possesses still its original chapel, and has an income of £208. Jesus' Hospital was founded in 1595 by Sir John Boys, for persons above 55 years of age, and has an income of £618. Maynard and Cotton's Hospital was founded in the time of Henry II., and has an income of £244. Cogan's Hospital, for clergymen's widows, was founded in 1657, and has an income of £248. Hackington Hospital has £26, Smith's almshouses £260, Harris's £68. The Kent and Canterbury Hospital contains about 100 beds, and is liberally supported by annual subscriptions. Two additional wings have been added.

Trade, &c.-Relic-making and the supplying of the wants of pilgrims were the only trade in the Roman Catholic times. Silk-weaving was introduced by refugee Walloons and French Protestants after the Reformation. This flourished for a period, but gave place to the manufacture of cotton and silk, and that also has ceased. Some trade in wool is now carried on, but the chief source of industry is the export of agricultural produce, especially hops. The city has two banks. The chief trading establishments are tanneries, brickfields, linen weaving, limekilns, breweries, and rope walks. Several good weekly newspapers are published. The city is famous for its cricket matches, held on a fine piece of ground on the Old Dover Road, for one week (as a rule the first week in August), when some of the strongest county elevens play against Kent. The city is a seat of sessions, the head of an inland revenue collection, and a headquarters of militia. It received municipal privileges from Henry II. and an incorporation charter from Henry VI., is governed by a mayor, a sheriff, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors. The city gives the title of Viscount to the Manners-Suttons. Gostling and Somner the antiquaries, Dean Nevile, Dr. Linacre, Aphra Behn, Marlowe, Richard the great Earl of Cork, and Lord Tenterden were natives. A memorial to Marlowe was erected in 1891.

The Diocese.-Canterbury, at once as a bishopric, as an archbishopric, and as the metropolitan see of England, dates from St Augustine. Among its prelates were Dunstan, Theodore, Lanfranc, Anselm, Pascal II., Becket, Langton, Bradwardine, Langham, Chichele, Warham, Cranmer, Pole, Parker, Whitgift, Laud, Sancroft, Wake, Tillotson, Tenison, Seeker, Sutton, Howley, and Tait. The archbishop ranks as first peer of the realm next to the royal family, and places the crown on the sovereign's head at a coronation. His seats are Lambeth Palace and Addington Park, and his income is £15,000. His archiepiscopal jurisdiction extends over all Wales, and all England except the six northern counties.

The diocese includes all Kent, except the city and deanery of Rochester, and the deaneries of Cobham and Gravesend (in the diocese of Rochester), and parts of the ecclesiastical parishes of Flimwell and Frant (in the diocese of Chichester). It includes likewise the part of Surrey comprising the parishes of Addington, Addiscombe, Croydon, Norwood, Shirley, and Thornton Heath, and the district of Lambeth Palace, London; part of Sussex, comprising the parishes of Lamberhurst and King Charles the Martyr, and Tunbridge Wells. Population, 745,149, inhabiting 142,919 houses. It is divided into the archdeaconries of Canterbury and Maidstone. The chapter includes a dean with £2000 a year, 2 archdeacons, 6 canons with £1000 a year each, and 4 minor canons, all with residences. These amounts depending upon the rent of land, are now reduced to about half. One of the canons is the Archbishop Suffragan, i.e. The Bishop of Dover.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Church Records

The registers of All Saints date from 1559 and are in excellent preservation.

The register of St. Mildred's dates from the year 1559 and is in excellent preservation.

The registers of St. Alphage date from 1558.

The registers of St. Mary, Northgate Street date from 1640.

The register of St. Dunstan's for baptisms dates from the year 1574; marriages, 1561; and burials, 1559. The churchwardens' accounts from A.D. 1484-1580 have been printed by Mr. J. M. Cowper.

The registers of St. George the Martyr date from 1538; the portion between that date and 1574 being a copy from some pre-existing book; those of St. Mary Magdalene date from 1664 only.

The register of St. Gregory dates from the year 1852.

The register or St. Margaret's dates from the year 1654.

The register of St. Mary Bredman's dates from the year 1558.

The register of St. Andrew's dates from 1538.

The register of St. Martin's dates from the year 1662.

The register of St. Paul's dates from the year 1562.

The register of St. Mary Bredin dates from the year 1695.

The register of St. Peter's dates from the year 1560.

The register of Holy Cross dates from the year 1568.

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, All Saints: baptisms 1559-1891, marriages 1560-1837, burials 1559-1855

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Blackfriars Baptist Chapel: burials 1813-1836

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Christ Church Cathedral: baptisms 1554-1911, marriages 1583-1919, burials 1571-1841

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Garrison Chapel: baptisms 1856-1917

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Hales Place Chapel: burials 1815-1838

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Holy Cross: baptisms 1563-1912, marriages 1563-1928, burials 1563-1868

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Alphege: baptisms 1558-1912, marriages 1558-1928, burials 1558-1881

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Andrew: baptisms 1564-1880, marriages 1564-1880, burials 1564-1852

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Dunstan: baptisms 1574-1912, marriages 1561-1928, burials 1559-1969

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St George: baptisms 1538-1912, marriages 1538-1777, burials 1540-1841

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Gregory: baptisms 1852-1912, marriages 1852-1928, burials 1852-1939

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Margaret: baptisms 1653-1911, marriages 1654-1928, burials 1654-1879

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Martin: baptisms 1662-1911, marriages 1662-1928, burials 1662-1934

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Mary Breadman: baptisms 1558-1887, marriages 1526-1887, burials 1558-1855

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Mary Bredin: baptisms 1813-1857, marriages 1755-1898, burials 1813-1870

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Mary Magdalene: baptisms 1634-1812, marriages 1639-1866, burials 1634-1841

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Mary Northgate: baptisms 1640-1887, marriages 1640-1887, burials 1640-1880

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Mildred: baptisms 1559-1912, marriages 1559-1928, burials 1558-1928

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Paul: baptisms 1562-1912, marriages 1562-1916, burials 1562-1930

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, St Peter: baptisms 1560-1890, marriages 1560-1925, burials 1560-1863

Findmypast have the following online for Canterbury, Wesleyan: burials 1828-1841

Churches

Church of England

Baptist

Congregational

Presbyterian

Roman Catholic

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Canterbury from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Canterbury)

Maps

Online maps of Canterbury are available from a number of sites:

• Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• Google Streetview.
• National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
• OpenStreetMap.
• old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
• Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)

Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Kent newspapers online:

• Kent & Sussex Courier
• Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
• Dover Express
• Kentish Gazette
• Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
• Kentish Chronicle
• Maidstone Telegraph

Visitations Heraldic

The Visitation of Kent, 1619 is available on the Heraldry page, as is also The Visitation of Kent, 1663-68.