Canterbury Historical Facts

The King's School in Canterbury, England, is Britain's oldest public school and arguably the oldest continuously operating school in the world, as education on the Abbey and Cathedral grounds has been uninterrupted since AD 597.

The peculiar looking Sir John Boys House (Crooked House), is said to be the most photographed building in Canterbury, Kent.

The name Canterbury - a cathedral city in southeast England - is derived from the French Caen. Canterbury Cathedral has a lot of Caen stone.

The Church of St Martin's in Canterbury was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent, whose influence led to the introduction of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England. Queen Bertha was canonized as a saint for her part in its establishment.

The Equestrian term "canter" comes from the name Canterbury. Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury to visit the shrine of famous martyr Thomas à Becket, would ride at a "Canterbury Trot" as they approached the city, which was less tiring than a gallop. The term was later shortened to canter.

St Martin's Church in Canterbury is the oldest church building in England, and the oldest church in continuous use in the English speaking world.