In September 2019, Debra and I went on a 14-day cruise of the British Isles aboard the Pacific Princess, sailing round trip from Dover with 11 port stops along the way.
Ahead of the cruise, we spent three days seeing the sights in Dover and the county of Kent. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our fun-filled holiday.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our third day.
Ahead of the cruise, we spent three days seeing the sights in Dover and the county of Kent. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our fun-filled holiday.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our third day.
Dover, England (September 8, 2019) “One of the greatest thrills of travel,” wrote travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux, “is to know the satisfaction of arrival, and to find oneself among friends.” And so it was for Debra and me in Dover.
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Yesterday we went sightseeing with Andrew and John from Oxford (we met on a Mediterranean cruise), and today we were with Tanya and Dave from Gravesend (we met on a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands). To paraphrase Theroux, Debra and I were lucky in the friends we have made!
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When I contacted Tanya ahead of our trip, she offered to create an itinerary for our day together. It took me all of five seconds to say “yes.” The itinerary, while a mere 60-mile round trip from Dover, was HUGE in the sights we saw – a medieval castle, fabled cathedral city, and beautiful coastal town. Tanya’s travel plan, I must say, was “brilliant!”
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Tanya and Dave picked us up at 9:30, and after hugs, kisses, and a bit of conversation, we were on our way.
Dover Castle
I love castles (we’ll see several on our cruise), and so my one regret about our mini-holiday in Dover was that I did not have time to visit the oldest and one of the largest castles in England. When Tanya asked if I would like a photo op of Dover Castle, I said, “Well yes I would!”
Dover Castle was built by William I, aka William the Conqueror, in the 11th century, and then largely rebuilt a century later by Henry II. But long before William I and Henry II, the Romans built a fort atop the heights occupied by the castle almost 2,000 years. There is something rather unique on the grounds – a Roman Pharos, the oldest surviving lighthouse in England, used as an aid to navigate across the English Channel from France.
I love castles (we’ll see several on our cruise), and so my one regret about our mini-holiday in Dover was that I did not have time to visit the oldest and one of the largest castles in England. When Tanya asked if I would like a photo op of Dover Castle, I said, “Well yes I would!”
Dover Castle was built by William I, aka William the Conqueror, in the 11th century, and then largely rebuilt a century later by Henry II. But long before William I and Henry II, the Romans built a fort atop the heights occupied by the castle almost 2,000 years. There is something rather unique on the grounds – a Roman Pharos, the oldest surviving lighthouse in England, used as an aid to navigate across the English Channel from France.
We left Dover via Castle Hill Road, which leads to Dover Castle. Dave parked at a roadside pullout where I had this wonderful view of the Castle – a glimpse of the English Channel behind the 13th century Constable’s Gate at the right and sheep grazing below the Great Tower and fortified walls of the castle. I had no doubt that this was how it looked (sans royalty, knights, and townspeople) more than 900 years ago. Perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to tour someday, but for now I was thrilled to have this view!
Canterbury
He who repeats a tale after a man,
Is bound to say, as nearly as he can,
Each single word, if he remembers it,
However rudely spoken or unfit,
Or else the tale he tells will be untrue,
The things invented and the phrases new.
~ Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales
Is bound to say, as nearly as he can,
Each single word, if he remembers it,
However rudely spoken or unfit,
Or else the tale he tells will be untrue,
The things invented and the phrases new.
~ Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales
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Dave drove while Tanya navigated, and soon we had traveled 20 miles north of Dover to Canterbury, the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England for almost 500 years. The city, which sits alongside the River Stour, was once surrounded by a defensive wall first built by the Romans in the late third century. Large sections of the wall and all but the 14th century Westgate (seen here from the back side) gave way to urban development in the 18th and 19th centuries – new roads, new buildings – to accommodate a growing population.
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The Romans abandoned Canterbury during the fifth century, and in 597 Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine (later, the first Archbishop of Canterbury) to convert the Anglo-Saxon king, Aethelberht, to Christianity. The first Norman king of England, William the Conqueror, won control of the city in 1066.
A little more than a century later, in 1170 when England was ruled by King Henry II, the very popular Archbishop Thomas Becket, thought by the royal court to be a traitor to the King, was murdered at the Canterbury Cathedral. This event established Canterbury as a pilgrimage site from that time forward. The Canterbury Tales, which was considered a masterpiece by English poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400), is a collection of stories about 30 pilgrims who journeyed to Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas.
A little more than a century later, in 1170 when England was ruled by King Henry II, the very popular Archbishop Thomas Becket, thought by the royal court to be a traitor to the King, was murdered at the Canterbury Cathedral. This event established Canterbury as a pilgrimage site from that time forward. The Canterbury Tales, which was considered a masterpiece by English poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400), is a collection of stories about 30 pilgrims who journeyed to Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas.
Fun Fact
The word “canter,” meaning to ride a horse at an easy rate
of speed, comes from the phrase “Canterbury gallop,” a reference
to the pace of the horses that carried the pilgrims to visit the tomb
of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
The word “canter,” meaning to ride a horse at an easy rate
of speed, comes from the phrase “Canterbury gallop,” a reference
to the pace of the horses that carried the pilgrims to visit the tomb
of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
We parked outside the “old city” and walked to Burgate Street - one of two streets in Canterbury with a name that is more than 1,000 years old! Burgate, which means “gate of the borough,” was dismantled over time. There is, however, a section of the city wall at the end of Burgate Street, which you can see to the right in this picture. (Full disclosure: This is a screen shot from a street view on Google Maps.)
Debra and I loved seeing the older buildings as we walked along Burgate Street. We could easily imagine this street in “ye olde days” – bake houses, merchant shops, bookbinders, craft guilds, taverns, and more on the first floor of each building, with living space above.
Alas, these buildings no longer housed “ye olde shoppes,” but instead more contemporary businesses, including Fired Earth (tiles), Chapter (pizza take-out), Wrapped (gifts), and Moss Bros (men’s clothing). Time marches on!
Alas, these buildings no longer housed “ye olde shoppes,” but instead more contemporary businesses, including Fired Earth (tiles), Chapter (pizza take-out), Wrapped (gifts), and Moss Bros (men’s clothing). Time marches on!
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We continued up Burgate to the Buttermarket, a square that is more than 800 years old (although the name Buttermarket was first used about 200 years ago). We had arrived at Christchurch Gate, the principal entrance to Canterbury Cathedral, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. This massive Norman gateway was built in 1517. The patinated bronze sculpture of Christ, added in 1990, replaced the original figure that was destroyed in the 17th century.
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The entrance fee was 12.50 pounds for an adult – well worth the price to explore the cathedral and surrounding grounds.
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As we walked through the high-arched entrance of Christchurch Gate, we saw that large portions of the Cathedral, including the stunning west tower, were covered in scaffolding. Not exactly what a photo enthusiast (me) wanted to see! From storyboards outside the Cathedral, we learned that this major restoration project began in 2017 and was scheduled to be completed in 2021. (As an aside, this was the second time in two years that a major attraction I visited in England was covered in scaffolding. Last year, it was Big Ben in London. C’est la vie!)
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The main entrance to the Cathedral through the Southwest Porch was closed for Sunday morning services, so we entered through the nearby Norman-era Crypt. Completed in the early 12th century, the Crypt is the oldest part of the cathedral. Early Christians buried their Saints and Martyrs in the crypt, and Thomas Becket was buried there for 50 years until his tomb was moved to the first floor Trinity Chapel in 1220.
The Crypt was a place for quiet reflection (no photo-taking allowed, “whispers only, please”), and this was what we did as we strolled past statuary and monuments and through several chapels.
As we exited the Crypt, we passed the Martyrdom -- the spot where Thomas Becket was killed. There was a stained-glass window and altar memorializing St. Thomas of Canterbury.
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Soon we reached the Great Cloister, which was the center of monastic life. Debra and I marveled at the carved-stone arches, where we spotted faces, animals, and heraldic shields. In the courtyard we saw stone slabs (foreground bottom right in photo below), which we learned were covers from tomb chests destroyed during the 16th century Reformation.
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The Nave, Quire, and Trinity Chapel were also closed for services, so we walked into town to do some sightseeing and have a bite to eat. (Not to worry: We returned in the afternoon to finish our tour.)
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As we meandered from Sun Street to Orange Street to King Street, we marveled at the historical architecture of the buildings we passed. We turned on Mill Lane, and soon came to Abbots Mill Garden, a quiet park in the middle of town where a flour mill once stood. We used a foot bridge to cross the Great Stour (not so “great” at this point!), and then strolled through a small garden and orchard. It was soooo peaceful! Those long, narrow boats, by the way, are flat-bottomed “punts,” which were suitable for navigating the shallow Great Stour.
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A few minutes later we stepped onto High Street, which is the main street of Canterbury. This wide, pedestrian-only street was lined with shops of old and new, as well as pubs, restaurants, and cafes.
We stopped at Patisserie Valerie for tea and scones, with generous portions of clotted cream and jam. Mmmm, mmmm good! From our patio seating, we had a view of the nearby statue of Geoffrey Chaucer and listened as a street performer sang and played his guitar. What a great way to relax and refuel before we completed our tour of Canterbury Cathedral! |
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Morning services had ended, and now we were free to roam the Nave, Quire, and Chapel. The niches in the façade of the now-opened southwest porch were filled with statues, most of which dated from the mid-1800s.
The 600-yer old Nave, with its tall columns and soaring ceiling (82 feet high), was once a place where pilgrims gathered. On the walls were memorials to soldiers and statesmen, and at the west end was a huge window of stained glass, much of which is more than 800 years old.
The 600-yer old Nave, with its tall columns and soaring ceiling (82 feet high), was once a place where pilgrims gathered. On the walls were memorials to soldiers and statesmen, and at the west end was a huge window of stained glass, much of which is more than 800 years old.
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The Quire, with its pointed arches, provided (and still provides) seating for clergy and choir. The stone vault, which was rebuilt in the late 12th century after it was destroyed by fire, soared more than 230 feet. Most of the dark wooden choir stalls were Victorian.
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The 12th century Trinity Chapel was built for the shrine to St. Thomas of Canterbury. It also houses the royal tombs of the “Black Prince” (Edward of Woodstock) and King Henry IV.
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We were fascinated to learn that the architecture varies from one area of the Cathedral to the next – the Nave reflected the “Perpendicular” style, dominated by vertical lines, while the Quire and Trinity Chapel were early Gothic, with soaring ceilings and large stained-glass windows.
Debra and I LOVED visiting churches and cathedrals as we traveled. No matter how simple or grand, each had its own beauty. What appealed most to us about Canterbury Cathedral was its massive size and symmetry.
Truth be told, we could easily have spent the day in this quaint city, with its cobbled streets, fabulous architecture, many landmarks, and rich history, but it was time for us to press on.
Debra and I LOVED visiting churches and cathedrals as we traveled. No matter how simple or grand, each had its own beauty. What appealed most to us about Canterbury Cathedral was its massive size and symmetry.
Truth be told, we could easily have spent the day in this quaint city, with its cobbled streets, fabulous architecture, many landmarks, and rich history, but it was time for us to press on.
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Broadstairs
The shorelines of Kent are dotted with many charming coastal towns. We visited several towns yesterday, including Whitstable and Margate. Today we went Broadstairs, a delightful resort town located at Viking Bay on the north east coast of Kent. After Dave parked, we walked a narrow, cobbled street, where I spotted a certain Kodak-moment – Debra, Tanya, and an unnamed fisherman with today’s catch at Seafarer Restaurant. |
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We continued towards the clifftop promenade, which was lined with boutiques, restaurants, hotels, and more. From the boardwalk we peered down on a crescent-shaped beach. While nearly deserted today, it seemed a great place to play on a warm summer day!
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After the 45-minute ride from Canterbury, we enjoyed this opportunity to stretch our legs as we walked the length of the boardwalk and breathed in the sea air, which many believe has therapeutic properties. We stopped for an ice cream cone at Chiappini’s, a creamery at the promenade. The ice cream definitely did NOT have therapeutic properties, but it sure tasted good!
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It is at Broadstairs they are staying; in the big, bleak house
that stands alone on a peak of the chalk cliff, as if it were some
sentinel set over the rovers up and down the sea.
~ 19th century writer William Carew Hazlit in his novel Sophie Laurie
that stands alone on a peak of the chalk cliff, as if it were some
sentinel set over the rovers up and down the sea.
~ 19th century writer William Carew Hazlit in his novel Sophie Laurie
Atop a chalk cliff overlooking the bay was a building built in 1801 as a fort house for a seafaring captain. Topped with a parapet, its windows were framed in white. This “bleak house” that Hazlit wrote about had another literary connection: In the 1850s and 1860s, it was a holiday home for famed English writer and social critic Charles Dickens. There he wrote David Copperfiel. Coincidentally, Dickens wrote a novel titled Bleak House, but it wasn’t about this house and he wrote it while living in St. Albans.
Now a B&B, the building was for sale. When first listed in 2017, the asking price was five million pounds. Perhaps, then, it was a steal at the current list priced of 2.5 million pounds. Hmmm? Nope – we passed!
Now a B&B, the building was for sale. When first listed in 2017, the asking price was five million pounds. Perhaps, then, it was a steal at the current list priced of 2.5 million pounds. Hmmm? Nope – we passed!
It was late afternoon and we hadn’t had a proper meal since breakfast, so we headed to Captain Digby. Located a couple of miles north of the beach, this was the restaurant that Dave took Tanya to on their first date.
The original Captain Digby was built as a “Bede House” in the 1760s by Lord Holland – a place for drinking and entertainment that was separate from his nearby family manor. It was named for Robert Digby, the Lord’s nephew, drinking companion, and commander of the HMS African at the Battle of Trafalgar. The present Captain Digby dates to the 1970s, as most of the original Bede House was destroyed by a strong gale.
The original Captain Digby was built as a “Bede House” in the 1760s by Lord Holland – a place for drinking and entertainment that was separate from his nearby family manor. It was named for Robert Digby, the Lord’s nephew, drinking companion, and commander of the HMS African at the Battle of Trafalgar. The present Captain Digby dates to the 1970s, as most of the original Bede House was destroyed by a strong gale.
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Now, about those dinners. Each of us ordered a different entrée. Me? A ribeye steak with mushrooms, onion rings, and baked potato…and of course, a pint of beer. Everyone enjoyed their meal!
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After dinner we drove down the east coast of Kent and arrived back at our hotel less than an hour later.
We had a great day with Tanya and Dave, who helped create lasting travel memories of our “pilgrimage” to Canterbury and Broadstairs.
We had a great day with Tanya and Dave, who helped create lasting travel memories of our “pilgrimage” to Canterbury and Broadstairs.