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Canterbury cathedral is the oldest cathedral foundation in England having been founded by St. Augustine in 579 AD.
Much of the current building dates back to 1174 when it was rebuilt after a great fire.
Possibly the most famous, or infamous, incident that occurred at Canterbury cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday, 29th of December 1170. Becket was murdered by four of King Henry II’s knights.
It is not clear whether the knights were sent by order of Henry because the two men were previously close friends. Shortly after the murder of Becket a shrine was erected in the cathedral in Thomas’s memory and soon attracted pilgrims from all over Europe. There is also a mystery regarding the final resting place of Becket’s bones, some say they are still somewhere in the cathedral, others believe that they were burnt. Becket’s shrine was destroyed under the orders of Henry VIII in 1538 after a disagreement with the Pope. A candle still burns to mark the site of the shrine. The cathedral is the final resting place of Edward, Prince of Wales - the Black Prince 1330-1376. Edward’s achievements, which were borne at his funeral, can still be seen at the cathedral. Canterbury cathedral possesses some of the most beautiful stained glass windows and architecture from many periods, there is also a museum housing archeological artifacts uncovered from the local area.
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