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Exploring Canterbury: England's Religious Past and Present with Simon Richmond

Exploring Canterbury: England's Religious Past and Present with Simon Richmond


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Canterbury is an English city set in the beautiful Kent countryside with an extraordinary history stretching back 2000 years. Location of a Roman fort, the backdrop to Chaucer's Tales and the scene of the most notorious assassination of the Middle Ages, it is also home to three ancient monuments – Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church – that together comprise a single Unesco World Heritage Site.

St Martin’s Church is where Pope Gregory’s emissary Augustine baptized the Saxon King Ethelbert around 597 AD, legitimizing Christianity in England. The Benedictine monk went on to found the abbey that would bear his name along with the astonishing cathedral that has been the Mother Church of the Church of England for nearly five centuries. The murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket here in 1170, and his subsequent canonization, transformed the Cathedral into a shrine attracting pilgrims from across Europe.

Led by Kent-based guidebook writer Simon Richmond, this Conversation will shine a light on the rich variety of architecture and fascinating characters in Canterbury’s tale. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased appreciation of this quintessentially English city, the starring role it has played in English history, and how it can be used as a base from which to explore this corner of the so-called Garden of England.

Simon Richmond is a UK-based freelance journalist and photographer with over 25 years of experience of researching and writing travel guidebooks and other non-fiction books. After living in Tokyo in the early 1990s he co-wrote The Rough Guide to Japan (which was named Guidebook of the Year in 2000) and The Rough Guide to Tokyo. He has since written and contributed to over 150 guidebooks, most of which have been published by Lonely Planet. A former resident of Sydney, Australia and Boston, USA, the countries he has most frequently covered include Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the USA. Find out more about him at www.simonrichmond.com.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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J
J.G. (Atlanta, US)
Good Look at Canterbury with Simon Richmond

Really well organized and illustrated look at Canterbury by Simon Richard.

N
N.S. (Hollywood, US)

Wow, M. Simon Richmond gave a spectacular overview of Canterbury Cathedral and surrounding town - architecture, history, attractions, very articulate and a wealth of knowledge shared with us! I haven't been to Canterbury for a while and was good to see the 'recent' additions - Chaucer statue and Christopher Marlowe giant head...in addition to those stunning views of the Canterbury Cathedral & stained glass windows.

C
C. (Reseda, US)

Very comprehend well presented. I am planning a trip in a few weeks and this provided all the info I was looking for and more

S
Sue (Minneapolis, US)
Wonderful program!

Beautiful photos of the UNESCO Canterbury Heritage site with a wealth of information about the buildings within the area walls. Excellent introduction!

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
100%
(4)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
J
J.G. (Atlanta, US)
Good Look at Canterbury with Simon Richmond

Really well organized and illustrated look at Canterbury by Simon Richard.

N
N.S. (Hollywood, US)

Wow, M. Simon Richmond gave a spectacular overview of Canterbury Cathedral and surrounding town - architecture, history, attractions, very articulate and a wealth of knowledge shared with us! I haven't been to Canterbury for a while and was good to see the 'recent' additions - Chaucer statue and Christopher Marlowe giant head...in addition to those stunning views of the Canterbury Cathedral & stained glass windows.

C
C. (Reseda, US)

Very comprehend well presented. I am planning a trip in a few weeks and this provided all the info I was looking for and more

S
Sue (Minneapolis, US)
Wonderful program!

Beautiful photos of the UNESCO Canterbury Heritage site with a wealth of information about the buildings within the area walls. Excellent introduction!