Day 7 To Canterbury

So cloudy today ...hopefully not so hot for my final 8 miles to Canterbury!
I pick up at Godmersham and its Church dating from
1070 with additions since then - it had a visitation from Jane Austen . The park and house feature in Austen’s novels - and they are also on the £10 note! ....it says here!
Onto Chilham Village and its Castle - built by Henry II in 1171 , the year after Beckett’s death . The adjoining building from
1616 also had Austen visit !
Onward and the path climbs to Old Wives Lees village with pub, oast houses and finally some hops! Then apple trees and tunnels of strawberries and I guess pickers caravans - what will happen post Brexit? Past Bigbury earthwork (couldn’t really see anything!) and though another tunnel of trees and Canterbury begins to appear before dropping down and up and down to Harbledown - it was the last stop for Chaucer’s pilgrims and it was going to be the Cook’s turn to tell a story but he was possibly too drunk so the Manciple starts his tale.
Going up and down Summer Hill and Canterbury Cathedral is in sight!
St Dunstan’s church is the last church before the city and it’s where Henry II quickly changed into his penance - woolen shirt and removed his boots! Well - not for me ! Down past the 14thC Falstaff hotel and through the City gates and onto Mercery Lane and Christ Church gate and into the Cathedral!
The cathedral had opened in 1077 and was then enlarged. Becket’s shrine is in Trinity Chapel. Fantastic windows ! The fateful murder happened in the north transept but all is not what is seems - the Cathedral has been levelled by HenryVIII and been rebuilt!
And that’s it ..... to conclude as Chaucer ..... I rose to my feet and walked back to my horse aka train station. My feet feel okay and after a beer I will not feel a thing !
The End!Read more