A memorable outing to Canterbury – Letters from England by Mittaphone Sichampa with photos by Isabel Martin

Posted on 18/08/201718/08/2017 by IMartin

Hilderstone, journey, Letters from England, literature

On Friday, 4^th August I went on a college trip to Canterbury. I walked with my professor Isabel Martin through the streets and we met two Turkish guys from the college who we didn’t know but they were very friendly. They walked with us as Prof. Martin explained about the history, literature and religion of Canterbury, Henry VIII and St. Thomas Becket (12th century), the Pilgrims’ Hospital and the Cathedral, also Sir Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales (14th century). Everything is close and you can walk everywhere.

At first we visited the Westgate Tower (ca. 1397) from which we had a great view over Canterbury. Somewhere in the tower we lost Noy. We had lost Donekeo on our way there.

Westgate Towers, the largest surviving city gate in England

Guildhall across the street

Westgate

Medieval gunloop

Main street and cathedral

River Great Stour

Inside the Tower were many interesting things about the history of the city.

Our Turkish fellow-students

Replicas of helmets

Morion helmet (1580))

Barbute helmet (1460)

Burgonet helmet (1575)

Robert Cushman was imprisoned here

The story behind the “Mayflower” story

Prison cell

Prison door to a cell with a tiny window, through which the prisoners who had been incarcerated for debt could beg to pay back their debts

James (replica), 15 or 16, petty thief, in the City Gaol

Handcuffs used in cells and on flogging posts

Whip and police whistles

Man-trap, commonly used in fields against trespassers

17th c. Book of Common Prayers, used in Westgate

After that, we walked through the Gate which led us into the beautiful old town of Canterbury. I was really impressed by the houses which are really old. In one of them there’s a museum and a library.

Interactive museum – medieval sights, noises, smells -about the Canterbury Tales

Some of the characters

Some of the actors

Next, we went to visit Pilgrim’s hospital (Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr, 1176) in High Street in which a man told us something about the history of the hospital and spoke with prof. Martin about the pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales. He talked very much from which I didn’t understand everything, unfortunately.

The Canterbury Pilgrims Hospital of St Thomas

Entering the Hostel

Sleeping hall

Refectory means common dining-room

The Pilgrims’ Refectory

Me and my Turkish fellow-students

Celebrating pilgrimage…

…from Winchester (the first capital of England) to Canterbury

“Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote…”

Crest

Thomas Becket (1119-1170), Archbishop of Canterbury

After the man had finished his speech we walked through the streets to go to the great cathedral.

In restoration

Canterbury Cathedral

Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to go inside, so we just looked at the Christ Church Gate, which was also really impressive.

Christ Church Gate

Me, prof. Martin, a fellow-student

Although half the Cathedral was closed for choir practice, my professor Isabel Martin went inside the Cathedral while I walked through the city to do some shopping. I met a good friend from Hilderstone who is from Korea and we spent a bit of time together.