The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Canterbury, England (UK)

Canterbury is home to St Thomas of Canterbury Church, housing the shrine and relics of St Thomas Becket, making it England's premier Catholic pilgrimage destination.

On the evening of 29 December 1170, four knights burst into Canterbury Cathedral during Vespers and struck down Archbishop Thomas Becket with their swords. His final words—"I am ready to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace"—echo through the centuries, transforming this ancient cathedral city into one of medieval Christendom's greatest pilgrimage destinations. Nestled in the rolling hills of Kent, just sixty miles southeast of London, Canterbury has drawn pilgrims since the earliest days of English Christianity. St Augustine of Canterbury arrived here in 597 AD, sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the Anglo-Saxons, and established the mother church of English Christianity. But it was Becket's martyrdom that elevated Canterbury to international prominence. Within three years of his death, Pope Alexander III canonised him, and soon pilgrims were arriving from across Europe—their journeys immortalised in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. At its medieval peak, Becket's shrine, encrusted with gold and jewels, received more visitors than any other in northern Europe. Though Henry VIII destroyed the original shrine in 1538, Canterbury's spiritual magnetism endures. Today, Catholic pilgrims discover something remarkable: authentic relics of St Thomas Becket have returned to Canterbury, venerated in a humble parish church just steps from where he fell.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The story of Thomas Becket reads like a medieval drama of friendship, betrayal, and ultimate sacrifice. Born in London around 1119 to a prosperous Norman merchant family, Thomas was educated by priests and quickly distinguished himself through his intelligence and administrative gifts. He entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, who sent him to study canon law in Bologna and Auxerre. When the young and ambitious Henry II came to the throne in 1154, he appointed his trusted friend Thomas as Lord Chancellor of England. The two men were inseparable—hunting together, feasting together, governing together. Thomas lived lavishly, travelling with a retinue of several hundred servants, entertainers, and noblemen. Henry, confident that Thomas would advance royal interests over ecclesiastical ones, secured his election as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. But something profound shifted in Thomas. He resigned the chancellorship, adopted a penitential lifestyle, and became a fierce defender of the Church's independence from royal interference. The conflict centred on the Constitutions of Clarendon, which Henry sought to impose, limiting the Church's legal autonomy. Thomas resisted. He was forced into six years of exile in France, much of it spent at the Cistercian monastery of Pontigny. A fragile reconciliation brought him home in December 1170, but within weeks the quarrel reignited. When Thomas excommunicated bishops who had crowned Henry's son without his permission, the king erupted: "What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and promoted in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born clerk!" Four knights—Reginald FitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy, and Richard le Breton—took these words as a command. On that fateful December evening, they confronted Thomas in the cathedral's northwest transept. "I am no traitor, and I am ready to die," he declared. He grasped a pillar between the altars of Saint Mary and Saint Benedict and bowed his head. The knights' swords fell. When monks prepared his body, they discovered he wore a hairshirt crawling with lice beneath his archbishop's vestments—a hidden sign of the penance that had marked his later years. Within days, miracles were reported at his tomb. In the first decade alone, 703 miracles were officially recorded. Pope Alexander III canonised him on 21 February 1173. On 12 July 1174, King Henry II himself walked barefoot through Canterbury's streets in sackcloth, submitting to flogging by monks as penance for his role in the murder. Fifty years after the martyrdom, on 7 July 1220, Archbishop Stephen Langton translated Becket's remains to a magnificent new shrine in the Trinity Chapel—"one of the great symbolic events in the life of the medieval English Church," attended by King Henry III and dignitaries from across Europe. For three centuries, Canterbury Cathedral was the beating heart of English pilgrimage. Then came another Henry. In 1538, Henry VIII ordered the shrine destroyed, the relics scattered or burned, and all mention of Becket's name obliterated. The golden shrine that once held treasures rivalling any in Christendom was reduced to rubble. Yet fragments survived. Relics taken abroad in 1220 by Roman cardinals preserved pieces of the martyr's body on the continent. In 1953, one such relic—a finger bone that had been at the monastery of Pontigny—returned to Canterbury, presented by Father Thomas Becquet, a Belgian prior and collateral descendant of the saint. Today, Catholic pilgrimage to Canterbury has been quietly restored.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Canterbury

Canterbury offers pilgrims two distinct but complementary experiences: the Anglican cathedral where Becket fell and was originally buried, and the Catholic parish church where his authenticated relics are venerated today. Both are within a minute's walk of each other, and a complete pilgrimage embraces both.

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church (Diocesan Shrine)

Local Name: The Becket Shrine Address: 59 Burgate, Canterbury, CT1 2HJ, England GPS Coordinates: 51.2798, 1.0817 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: stthomasofcanterbury.com Dedication: St Thomas of Canterbury Historical Note: When this Gothic Revival church opened for worship in 1875, it was the first Roman Catholic church to operate within Canterbury since the Reformation. Designed by local architect John Green Hall and influenced by E.W. Pugin, it was built on a site that included a medieval chapel dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. Cardinal Henry Manning preached at its opening Mass. On 16 November 2019, Archbishop John Wilson designated it as an official Diocesan Shrine. Spiritual Importance: The Martyrs' Chapel contains the shrine with two relics of St Thomas Becket: a piece of finger bone presented in 1953, and a fragment of bone with a piece of his vestment given in the late 19th century by Mary Hales. Above the altar, the simple reliquary is flanked by statues of St John Fisher and St Thomas More—fellow English martyrs who, like Becket, chose death rather than compromise the Church's liberty. The chapel also houses a stole worn by St Oscar Romero, linking Canterbury to another archbishop martyred while serving the altar. The Canterbury Saints Chapel features a striking mural by Helen Grunwald, and the church displays Stations of the Cross that once hung in Westminster Cathedral.

Canterbury Cathedral

Address: 11 The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2EH, England GPS Coordinates: 51.2798, 1.0828 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: canterbury-cathedral.org Dedication: Christ Church Historical Note: A UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church, Canterbury Cathedral has been the mother church of English Christianity since 597 AD. The current building dates largely from the rebuilding after the 1174 fire, designed by William of Sens and William the Englishman. The Trinity Chapel (1179-1184) was purpose-built to house Becket's shrine. Spiritual Importance: Four sites within the cathedral mark key moments in Becket's story. The Martyrdom in the northwest transept marks the exact spot of his death; the modern Altar of the Sword's Point (1986) features a striking sculpture of two bloodstained swords whose shadows form two more—representing the four knights. A plaque commemorates the historic visit of Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie, who knelt together here on 29 May 1982. In the Eastern Crypt, pilgrims can sit where Becket's body lay for fifty years, between ancient Purbeck marble pillars. The Trinity Chapel, where a single candle now burns on the floor, marks where the jewelled shrine stood until its destruction. The Corona ("Becket's Crown") at the cathedral's eastern tip once held the crown of his skull, severed during the murder.

St Martin's Church

Address: North Holmes Road, Canterbury, CT1 1PW, England GPS Coordinates: 51.2762, 1.0920 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Historical Note: The oldest parish church in England still in continuous use, St Martin's predates the arrival of St Augustine in 597 AD. Queen Bertha, the Christian wife of pagan King Ethelbert of Kent, worshipped here before Augustine's mission, and tradition holds that Ethelbert himself was baptised within these ancient walls. Spiritual Importance: Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, this humble church represents the very beginning of the Canterbury pilgrimage story—the place where English Christianity first took root.

St Augustine's Abbey (Ruins)

Address: Longport, Canterbury, CT1 1PF, England GPS Coordinates: 51.2778, 1.0896 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Historical Note: Founded by St Augustine in 598 AD as a burial place for Anglo-Saxon kings and archbishops of Canterbury, this Benedictine monastery flourished for nearly a thousand years before its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1538. Spiritual Importance: The ruins, now managed by English Heritage and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, evoke the monastic tradition that shaped English Christianity and remind pilgrims of the destruction wrought by the Reformation—the same forces that scattered Becket's shrine.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

29 December – Feast of St Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church. The anniversary of Becket's martyrdom draws pilgrims to Canterbury despite the winter season. Mass is celebrated at the diocesan shrine, and the relics receive special veneration. 7 July – Feast of the Translation of St Thomas Becket Canterbury Cathedral and St Thomas of Canterbury Church. This summer feast—commemorating the 1220 translation of Becket's relics—has been celebrated for over 800 years and attracts the largest pilgrimage gatherings. The Catholic parish hosts a Pilgrimage Mass in Canterbury Cathedral celebrated by the Papal Nuncio, followed by veneration of the relics.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Canterbury Cathedral Lodge ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2EH, England 🌐 Website: canterburycathedrallodge.org Contemporary hotel within the cathedral precincts, offering 35 rooms with views of the medieval cloisters and cathedral. Wake to birdsong and church bells—a unique pilgrim experience. The Pilgrims Hotel ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: 18 High Street, Canterbury, CT1 2RA, England 🌐 Website: hotelscanterbury.co.uk/pilgrimshotel Historic hotel in the heart of the city, five minutes' walk from the cathedral. The ancient building offers character-filled rooms with "higgledy piggledy stairs and corners." ABode Canterbury ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: 30-33 High Street, Canterbury, CT1 2RX, England 🌐 Website: abodehotels.co.uk/canterbury Boutique hotel in the city centre with comfortable rooms, excellent breakfast, and convenient location for cathedral visits. Yorke Lodge Bed & Breakfast ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: 50 London Road, Canterbury, CT2 8LF, England Beautifully decorated Victorian B&B offering luxury accommodations with personalized service and a warm welcome from attentive hosts.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: London's airports offer the closest international connections. London Gatwick is approximately one hour by car; London Heathrow about two hours. London City Airport offers the quickest rail connection to Canterbury. By Train: Canterbury has two railway stations. Canterbury East connects to London Victoria (journey time approximately 1 hour 30 minutes). Canterbury West connects to London St Pancras via the high-speed Southeastern service (approximately 1 hour). Both stations are within walking distance of the city centre. By Car: Canterbury lies just off the A2/M2 motorway from London (approximately 60 miles). Parking in the city centre is limited; the Park and Ride service from Wincheap offers convenient access to the city. By Coach: National Express operates regular services from London Victoria Coach Station to Canterbury Bus Station. On Foot: The Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, begins at Canterbury Cathedral. Modern pilgrims still walk this 1,900-kilometre route. Shorter walks include the Pilgrim's Way from Winchester (approximately 120 miles) and the popular walk from London via the routes described in The Canterbury Tales.

📚 Further Reading

Books:

  • Frank Barlow, Thomas Becket (Amazon) – The definitive scholarly biography of the saint.
  • John Guy, Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel (Amazon) – An accessible modern biography examining Becket's transformation from royal chancellor to martyr.
  • Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (Amazon) – The medieval masterpiece that immortalised the Canterbury pilgrimage.

Articles & Online Resources:

🎥 Recommended Videos

🔗 Useful Links

✝️ Closing Reflection

"I am ready to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace."

— St Thomas Becket, final words before his martyrdom, 29 December 1170

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For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding Mass times, access, and special pilgrimage events, please contact St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church directly or visit their website.