Canterbury

Canterbury (/ˈkæntərb(ə)ri/ , /-bɛri/) is a city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climate.

Canterbury
City
Butter Market square
Arms of Canterbury
Canterbury
Location within Kent
Population55,240 (2011)
OS grid referenceTR145575
 London54 miles (87 km)
District
Shire county
Region
  • South East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCANTERBURY
Postcode districtCT1, CT2, CT4
Dialling code01227
PoliceKent
FireKent
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament

Canterbury is a popular tourist destination, with the city's economy heavily reliant upon tourism, alongside higher education and retail. The city's population was over 55,000 as of 2011 and lays claim to a substantial number of students. Indeed, Canterbury has one of the highest student-to-permanent-resident ratios in the country.

The city has been occupied since Paleolithic times and served as the capital of the Celtic Cantiaci and Jute Kingdom of Kent. Many historical structures fill the area, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the Westgate Towers museum, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey, the Norman Canterbury Castle, and the oldest extant school in the world, the King's School. Modern additions include the Marlowe Theatre and Kent County Cricket Club's St Lawrence Ground. Canterbury Cathedral is known for its architecture, its music, and for being the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury; it receives a million visitors per year.

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