Canterbury Gate
Excursion to Canterbury, especially the famous cathedral, headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury, global leader of the Anglican Church. Stained glass throughout, medieval through modern. The first cathedral on this site was established by St Augustine in the year 597, and a few original columns remain. Features are still being added (“spiral development” in my company’s lingo) – the Italian region of Val d’Aosta contributed a black marble altar in the year 2006. Coincidentally, that’s one of the ski areas I visited with the pals mentioned in Saturday’s blog entry. It’s also the place where Thomas Becket was murdered in the year 1170. Particularly interesting treasure is the tomb of the Black Prince with his so-called “Achievements”, a tunic, armored gloves, “chapeau”, etc. On top of his sarcophagus is his bronze effigy, complete with spurs, his feet resting on his dog and his head resting on his helmet. In the 1300s he participated in the Hundred Years War and was mentioned in Shakespeare’s “Henry V”.
