Five unusual things to do in Canterbury, taken from the book 111 Places in Canterbury That You Shouldn’t Miss by Nicolette Loizou
Canterbury is home to a number of popular tourist attractions, including Canterbury Cathedral, the Westgate Towers and the Marlowe Theatre.
However, thanks to the new book, 111 Places in Canterbury That You Shouldn’t Miss by Nicolette Loizou, we’ve discovered some of the more unusual, unnoticed or underrated spots to visit in the city.
From a collection of 100 year old cartoons to one of the UK’s strangest trees, these are five of our favourite out-of-the-ordinary places to check out next time you’re in Canterbury.
British Cartoon Archives
Feast your eyes on intricate illustrations and witty drawings at the British Cartoon Archives. Formed in the 1970s and housed inside the University of Kent, this impressive collection captures a wealth of British history by pen and pencil. With 200,000 cartoons from the artists such as Carl Giles, Martin Rowson, David Low and Nicholas Garland and British newspapers including the Daily Express, The Mirror and The Guardian, the archives date back to as early as 1904. While the archivists are currently working through the collection to digitalise the illustrations, you can still visit and take a look at these original paper drawings for yourself.
Where: Templeman Library, University of Kent, CT2 7NU
When: Viewings by appointment only. Call 01227 764 000 or click here for more information.
Canterbury Rock
This vintage record shop is worth a visit for any music fan. Owned by Jim Hampshire, who has fronted the store for 40 years, the building has become not only a prime place to top up your record collection but also a vault of classic music artefacts. Alongside vintage vinyls from the likes of The Smiths and The Beatles, there are also aged concert posters, gig tickets and hi-fi equipment from days gone by, as well as a 7-inch vinyl of the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen album which is proudly on display. With endless records to browse and an owner who is happy to share his love of music with the customers, this shop is a hub for mods and metalheads alike.
Where: 12 Whitstable Road, CT2 8DQ
When: Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 6pm (closed for an hour from noon to 1pm)
Conquest House
We all know that Canterbury Cathedral is the place where Thomas Becket was murdered, but do you know where Henry II’s knights hatched the plan to kill him? Conquest House is where four of the king’s knights are said to have strategised about how to get rid of the outspoken archbishop before making their grisly visit to the cathedral in 1170. In recent years, the half-timbered building has been home to a plastic-free wholefood shop and, while it’s currently closed, visitors can still stroll up to the house and admire its charming exterior and rich history.
Where: 17 Palace Street, CT1 2DZ
When: The inside of the building is currently closed, but the exterior is available to visit at any time
London Plane Tree
One of the city’s quirkiest landmarks, the London plane tree is an unmissable figure in the Westgate Gardens. This peculiar-looking tree attracts nature lovers and tourists due to its unusual shape and swollen trunk. Thought to have been planted in the 19th century, the tree is one of the oldest of its kind in the country. Experts suspect this particular London plane might have a viral infection which has caused its remarkable shape, and legend even has it that this tree swallowed up the circular seat that once surrounded it, resulting in its large size. Although no-one is quite sure why this curious tree is the way it is, it’s worth taking a look and trying to figure it out yourself.
Where: Westgate Gardens, St Peter’s Street, CT1 2BQ
When: Monday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm
Skinned Bull Sculpture
Canterbury has a rich tanning and leather heritage, much of which is no longer visible in the city today. However, the skinned bull sculpture by Kent-based artist Steven Portchmouth is a nod to this industrial history - although not necessarily a positive one. The sculpture shows a bull’s stripped-back body to acknowledge how animals were often exploited for their hides during Canterbury’s leather boom, which saw the city provide material for the House of Lords and Rolls-Royce among others. The striking statue is housed in the tannery field, which was established in the 1790s, as a reminder of how the industry used animals such as these.
Where: Tannery Field, Westgate Parks, CT1 2BQ
When: The field is open to visit at any time
111 Places in Canterbury That You Shouldn’t Miss by Nicolette Loizou is published by Emons Verlag. Purchase your copy here.
