Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral
Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ, Canterbury
Cathedral from the city entrance
Map
51°16′47″N 1°04′59″E / 51.2797°N 1.0831°E / 51.2797; 1.0831
LocationCanterbury, Kent
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
Previous denominationCatholic Church
ChurchmanshipLiberal Catholic
WebsiteOfficial website
History
StatusCathedral
Consecrated1070
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade I listed
Designated3 December 1949[1]
Architectural typeCruciform basilica
StyleRomanesque, Gothic
Groundbreaking1070
Completed
1834 (last major alteration)
Specifications
Length525 ft (160 m)
Nave length178 ft (54 m)
Choir length180 ft (55 m)
Width154 ft (47 m)
Nave width71 ft (22 m)
Nave height80 ft (24 m)
Choir height71 ft (22 m)
Number of towers5
Tower height236 ft (72 m) (crossing)[2]
Number of spires1 (now lost)
Spire height190 ft (58 m) (northwest tower, demolished 1705)
Bells14 (1981)
Tenor bell weight34-3-4 (1767 kg)
Administration
ProvinceCanterbury
DioceseCanterbury (since 1072)
Clergy
ArchbishopVacant (since 12 November 2024), Archbishop of Canterbury
Bishop(s)Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover
DeanDavid Monteith
PrecentorWendy Dalyrmple (from 5 November)
Canon(s)Tim Naish (Librarian)
Canon MissionerEmma Pennington
Canon TreasurerAndrew Dodd
ArchdeaconWill Adam (Canon Residentiary)
Laity
Organist/Director of musicDavid Newsholme
Official nameCanterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church
TypeCultural
Criteriai, ii, vi
Designated1988 (12th session)
Reference no.496
RegionEurope and North America
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameChristchurch Cathedral, the Cathedral Precincts
Designated13 December 1949
Reference no.1336823
The archiepiscopal throne in Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Kent, it is one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ, Canterbury.[3][a]

Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures.

Before the English Reformation, the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church, Canterbury, as well as being the seat of the archbishop.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NHLECathedral was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "A Walk Around Canterbury Cathedral". ParadoxPlace.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  3. ^ "The Constitution" (PDF). Canterbury Cathedral. July 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.


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