Queen Bertha's Walking Tour

Join our walking tour to retrace the steps taken by Queen Bertha, the Frankish (French) princess who married Ethelbert the pagan king of Kent in the 6th century and played a vital role in converting him to Christianity. It was Ethelbert’s conversion by St Augustine that started the reintroduction of the faith to this part of the country, resulting in the creation of both Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine’s Abbey which, with St Martin’s Church, form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Canterbury. Our journey begins outside St Martin's Church, Queen Bertha’s place of worship, situated on the outskirts of the city and the oldest church in England still in use.
From St Martin's Church, we walk past St Augustine's Abbey, one of England's most significant monastic ruins. Founded by St Augustine, the abbey was the resting place of early Kentish royalty and the first Archbishops of Canterbury.
After passing Lady Wootton’s Green and discovering traces of Queen Bertha’s Queningate, our tour culminates in Canterbury Cathedral’s Precincts, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the most visited religious sites in the country. Built on land given to St Augustine by Ethelbert, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion has also been a site of pilgrimage site since the 12th century.
This tour will mostly be based outside as we explore the intertwining history of faith, culture and heritage that defines the heart of Canterbury.

Timings & Tours

Tuesday 10 September:

11:00

Thursday 12 September:

11:00

Location & directions

St Martin's Church, 1 North Holmes Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1QJ

Directions:

Meet at the bottom of the steps to St Martin's Church, 1 North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QJ. On the A257 at Longport, turn left on to North Holmes Road and St Martin's Church is at the end of the road.

Contact on day:

Visits Team

Telephone number:

+44227762862

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please book online through our booking website.

Booking website:

https://buy2.myonlinebooking.co.uk/canterburycathedral/sessions.aspx?tid=18

Booking opens:

10 Jun 2024 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

09 Sep 2024 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

There is no parking at St Martin's Church but limited on-street parking nearby, There are no toilet facilities at St Martin's Church. On-site facilities mentioned are in the Precincts.

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

20

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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