Canterbury | |
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Canterbury lies on the River Great Stour |
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Arms of Canterbury |
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Canterbury shown within Kent | |
Population | 55,240 (2011) |
OS grid reference | TR145575 |
• London | 54 miles (87 km) |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | CANTERBURY |
Postcode district | CT1, CT2 |
Dialling code | 01227 |
Police | Kent |
Fire | Kent |
Ambulance | South East Coast |
EU Parliament | South East England |
UK Parliament | |
Canterbury (i/ˈkæntərbri/, /-bəri/, or /-bɛri/) is a historic English cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion owing to the importance of St Augustine, who served as the apostle to the pagan Kingdom of Kent around the turn of the 7th century. The city's cathedral became a major focus of pilgrimage following the 1170 martyrdom of Thomas Becket, although it had already been a well-trodden pilgrim destination since the murder of St Alphege by the men of King Canute in 1012. A journey of pilgrims to Becket's shrine served as the frame for Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th century classic The Canterbury Tales.