Religious Buildings & Areas

CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
CATHEDRAL HOUSE, 11 THE PRECINCTS, CANTERBURY CT1

There has been a cathedral in Canterbury since 597 when St. Augustine baptized the Saxon king Ethelbert. Little remains of the original structure or the Norman cathedral that followed. The cathedral was rebuilt under the direction of Lanfranc, who was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by William the Conqueror in 1070. However, written accounts by Bede and others give us an idea of what the cathedral looked like in its original form. 
The monk Eadmer described the cathedral before the fire of 1067 and after the rebuilding was completed under Lanfranc's supervision. Gervase provided a written account of the choir section of the cathedral during its reconstruction in the late 12th century. 
The Archbishop of Canterbury was the most senior religious figure in the land, based at the cathedral, which held immense significance both religiously and politically in medieval times. The cathedral is also known for a few notable historical moments: - 
It became a pilgrimage site for Thomas Becket, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1161 to 1170. Becket was killed on the orders of King Henry II. After his murder, the cathedral's importance as a pilgrimage destination significantly increased as visitors came to pay their respects at his shrine. 
In 1220, Becket's remains were moved from the crypt to Trinity Chapel. - Another Archbishop associated with the cathedral was Simon Sudbury. He was killed in 1381 by Wat Tyler, the leader of the Peasants' Revolt. Sudbury was beheaded, and his head and body were buried separately. His head was displayed on London Bridge for six days before being taken to St. Gregory Church in Sudbury, where it remains preserved. There is a tower named after the slain Archbishop on the cathedral premises. 
**Hauntings** 
The cathedral has many nooks and crannies to explore, including a passage called 'The Dark Entry,' which is connected to a ghostly haunting tale. The legend is that the ghosts of Simon Sudbury and Thomas Becket roam the cathedral, their souls possibly remaining unsettled due to the nature of their deaths. Witnesses describe Simon Sudbury's ghost as a pale spirit with a long, grey beard. You can read more about this story via Spooky Isles HERE.
'The Dark Entry' is considered an eerie site because it is believed to be haunted by the ghost of Nell Cook, a servant of one of the cathedral's canons. As punishment for her crimes, Cook was buried alive beneath the Dark Entry, and her ghost is thought to haunt the passageway, most often seen on Friday evenings after sunset. Additionally, a ghostly figure of a nun has been reported within the building. 
There is also an account from a security guard—and others have witnessed this—who encountered a group of ghostly monks claiming they were going to the Scriptorium. This area had burned down, resulting in the deaths of 80 monks.

EASTBRIDGE HOSPITAL
 25 HIGH ST, CANTERBURY CT1

As their website explains perfectly, "The Eastbridge is in the centre of the City of Canterbury and comprises three adjoining sites and buildings: the Eastbridge Hospital, Greyfriars Chapel, and the Franciscan Gardens.
The Eastbridge, also known as the Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr, was not a hospital as we use the word today. It was a place of hospitality.
When Sir Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170, pilgrims came to visit his tomb, and the city had to accommodate them. So, in 1190, Edward Fitzodbold, a local merchant, founded the Hospital on the Kingsbridge by the river Stour. It prospered and received further endowments from Archbishop Hubert Walter about 1203.
The first Franciscan Grey Friars arrived in England in 1224 and set up houses in Canterbury, close to Eastbridge Hospital.  
Initially, the Friars lived in poorly made buildings. 20+ years later, the order felt they needed better accommodation and farming land to provide food for themselves. 
In 1267, the Canterbury house was built using stone, and a wealthy landowner, Alderman John Digge, donated an area of land by the river to the friars. The area was enclosed by a large ovoid-shaped dyke and was known as Binnewith Island. 
The Franciscan site eventually extended to 18 acres, and several buildings were built in the Franciscan Gardens. The Chapel is the only building remaining of the first English Franciscan Friary. Although much altered, it is believed to have been the guest house.
In 1342, the Eastbridge Hospital was refounded by Archbishop Stratford.
This Franciscan building fell under the patronage of King Henry VII of England.
Then came Henry VIII's rule, and the Greyfriars brothers suffered because of their unwillingness to accept the Royal Supremacy over the newly established Church of England. In 1534, several brothers of the Greyfriars Friary were imprisoned. Two of them, plus the Warden of the Observant Friars of Canterbury, Richard Risby, were executed for refusing the terms of the Act of Supremacy and lending support to the anti-Reformation mystic Elizabeth Barton. The 'Holy Maid of Kent' was a visionary nun who had denounced Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and his remarriage to Anne Boleyn. 
The Dissolution of the Monasteries began in 1536, and in December 1538,  Richard Yngworth (or Ingworth), an agent for Thomas Cromwell and later Bishop of Dover, received in the King's name the surrender of all the Canterbury friaries along with their lands and property. The remaining friars, having promised 'not to follow henceforth the superstitious traditions of only forensically potentate or peer', were given five shillings a piece and dispersed.  
The St Thomas Becket shrine was destroyed, and the Eastbridge hospital declined. 
The Friars' housing and land were secured for £100 by Thomas Spylman, one of the Court of Augmentations. Receivers responsible for selling former church properties. The house became a private house. 
The next owner, Thomas Rolfe, made considerable alterations to the land and, on his death, bequeathed his estate to the executors of his will, William Lovelace (MP) and John Dudley. 
After Rolfe's widow contested the will, the probate courts decided ownership. They ruled the original will was legal, and by 1566, the Lovelace family acquired the land. They lived in a large house, which occupied much of the gardens from the late Middle Ages. Now, in the Franciscan Gardens, stands along an ancient brick wall. That is all that remains of the Lovelace residence. 
A school for twenty boys was founded there in 1569.
In 1584, Archbishop Whitgift made reforms that the Act of Parliament protected. The Eastbridge hospital had to provide accommodation for ten poor people of Canterbury and pay the dole to ten more. 
The school stayed open until the 1880s.
Over the years, the Greyfriars Chapel has had many other uses. The graffiti and the heavy studded door on the ground floor indicate that it was used as a temporary prison cell in the late eighteenth century for inmates before transportation. To this day, the names of inmates and dates of incarceration remain carved into the wooden walls of the cell, including 'T Woollett, November 1819, 14 days for running'.
The grounds were used as a tea garden in the nineteenth century. Between 1914 and 1994, they were a market garden with public access. The market garden was a critical Canterbury business in the hands of the well-known Smith family. Derek Smith, the last family member to work in the industry, was born in Assisi Cottage, a small residence within the Franciscan Gardens.
In 1919, Major HG James, the owner of the Greyfriars estate, tried to restore the single surviving building from the estate to its original form and commissioned some excavation of the grounds. 
In the mid-twentieth century, Dr John Burgon Bickersteth and Harry Jackman QC  modernised the Hospital, developing the upper rooms into a vestry and Chapel. 
In 1958, the Franciscan Gardens were acquired by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral. Much of the gardens became a commercial nursery.  
Eastbridge Hospital purchased the gardens in the 1990s.
In 2003, the Franciscan Brothers returned to the site. 
Since its foundation, the Archbishop of Canterbury has been the patron. It provided a safe respite haven for the pilgrims who came to Canterbury to visit the tomb of St Thomas Becket,  providing shelter and help to pilgrims, soldiers, local societies, and schoolchildren. For the last 400 years, it has provided a permanent residence to several older people. So Eastbridge remains an almshouse, but most of the historic buildings are open to the public. The two chapels within the Hospital are regularly used for exhibitions, and they still hold a service in the Greyfriars Chapel, which is also open to the public.
**HAUNTINGS**
Many of the Friars were massacred during the Dissolution, and little is known about their final resting place. One theory is that due to the activity in various locations in the area, suggesting that most bodies got burned in a pit. Now, the souls of the dead remain in what is now the Christchurch University Accommodation block. 
Archaeology examinations in the 1980s revealed massive burial sites for that period.
There is said to be a ghost of a hooded monk who has been here for over 400 years. Residents have seen him praying in the undercroft of the Eastbridge Hospital, usually after dusk around October and November.
It is said that psychics who have visited the undercroft during the day have reported the feeling of many hands surrounding them.
More recently, a white dog has been sighted standing to attention at the foot of the stairs in the upper chamber. It doesn't make a sound and has been seen by many people, including the Author of Haunted Canterbury, John Hippisley, who talks about his experience in his book. 
There have also been sightings of Friars in the garden area, and with the river Stour being close, this may be the reason for some poltergeist activity in the nearby buildings. As you walk through the low archway, there is a semi-derelict building on your left. During paranormal investigations by various groups, it was said that objects were witnessed being physically lifted off the ground and thrown across the void in the middle.
The Greyfriars guesthouse itself is reported to have a strange atmosphere. Guests have reported feeling icy cold in a room that is otherwise heated or having the covers pulled off their beds. Unseen hands felt pressing down the covers, tucking them in to keep them warm. 
Another report is of a young girl, who woke in a semi-dream state to see a pair of red eyes of something, possibly not human staring down at her from the ceiling.

ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY CHURCH

59 BURGATE CANTERBURY KENT CT1

St. Thomas of Canterbury Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is situated at the corner of Burgate and Canterbury Lane, west of Lower Bridge Street, directly across from the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral in the city centre. It is the only Roman Catholic church in Canterbury, and it was built on the site of a medieval church. 
After the English Reformation, the Catholic community in Canterbury continued to thrive, mainly due to the support of the Hales baronets, particularly Sir Thomas Hales, 2nd Baronet, who aided Catholics following the 1688 Revolution and held masses for the community at their chapel in Hales Place.
In 1859, a mission was established in the city when Mary Ann Wood donated 59 Burgate Street, now the clergy house, for the use of a Catholic priest. The surrounding land was later purchased to construct a church and school, which included a medieval chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. This chapel was demolished in 1871, but the old tower was preserved.
Construction of the church, designed in the Gothic architectural style, began in 1874 and officially opened on April 13th, 1875. 
The Blitz damaged surrounding buildings in June 1942, and the church itself has undergone several restoration efforts over the years. 
It houses various religious relics, including a piece of Thomas Becket's vestments, his severed hand, and a piece of bone from his finger, which was donated by one of his descendants.
**Hauntings**  
Reports suggest that on December 29th, the sound of invisible horses stamping and neighing can be heard beneath the church's tower. This phenomenon may be the ghostly residual energy of Becket's assassins fleeing the crime scene on December 29th, 1170. According to legend, after Thomas Becket was executed, one of his hands, which still wore his Ring of Office, was taken by Hugh de Morville. While fleeing to Sandwich to inform King Henry II, de Morville's horse was startled, resulting in a fatal fall. It is believed that he died where the church now stands. Becket's hand was once kept in a box and kissed by pilgrims; today, it is displayed in a glass case in the undercroft.
There is uncertainty about whether the ghostly figure seen is indeed de Morville, as it is suggested that the four knights initially escaped to Scotland and then to Knaresborough Castle, where they remained for a year. All four were subsequently excommunicated by Pope Alexander III on Easter Day, March 25th, 1171, and were ordered to undertake a penitential pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where they were to stay for 14 years before returning to Rome. It is widely believed that none of them returned to England.
Interestingly, another, Hugh de Morville, served under the Crusader King Richard I in the 1190s and was a hostage for Richard when the king was captured in 1194. This raises the possibility that the ghostly figure may be attributed to another unfortunate man who fell from his horse. Reports of this phantom horse rider ceased after 1726 when a city watchman reported seeing a figure in old-fashioned clothing riding a black horse down the Burgate path at 3 a.m. during his rounds. Additionally, sightings of ghostly monks who once lived and worked at the Whitefriars Monastery have been reported walking along the path leading towards the cathedral, even after modern-day reformations in the area

THE OLD PALACE
THE PRECINCTS CANTERBURY CT1

The Old Palace, also known as the Archbishop's Palace, was constructed on the grounds of the Cathedral, likely commissioned by Archbishop Lanfranc in the 11th century. This historic residence served as the Archbishop's official quarters during his visits to Canterbury, providing a place of governance and hospitality.
It is historically significant as one of the gathering sites for the knights Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh De Moreville, William De Tracy, and Richard Le Beton in 1170, shortly before they infamously murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket within the Cathedral. The Palace underwent extensive reconstruction between 1193 and 1228, reflecting the evolving architectural styles of the era.
One of its most notable features is the Great Hall, which ranks as the second-largest medieval Great Hall in Britain, second only to Westminster Hall. Archbishops Hubert Walter and Stephen Langton built this magnificent structure between 1200 and 1220, showcasing impressive medieval craftsmanship.
During the English Civil War in 1647, Parliament seized the Palace, which resulted in the demolition of most significant buildings on the estate during the 1650s. Following these tumultuous times, the Palace was neglected until 1896, when architect W. D. Caröe undertook a restoration project, allowing Archbishop Frederick to take residence once again.
Architecturally, the structure is characterized by its unique curved design. It comprises two to three floors and incorporates the remnants of the monastic refectory's undercroft on its west end. The south wing preserves elements of older work, particularly in its stout buttresses, which feature a distinctive 14th-century two-light window. Additionally, a 16th-century gateway from Palace Road still stands, although it is currently blocked, hinting at the building's rich history.
In May 1967, the Palace was awarded a Grade I listing in recognition of its historical and architectural significance. 
Over the years, it has experienced numerous modifications and renovations, culminating in a two-year refurbishment completed in 2006, allowing it to serve the community again.
**Hauntings**  
Legend has it that on the anniversary of Thomas Becket's murder, the ghost of Reginald Fitzurse makes a spectral appearance in the hall of the Palace. This haunting was reportedly witnessed by a security guard who, while conducting his nightly rounds and preparing to lock up, saw the spectral figure of the medieval knight. The guard described Fitzurse as clad in a tattered knight's tabard, complete with a large sword at his side. In a flash, the ghostly figure reportedly sprinted toward the street entrance. It vanished into the night, adding to the Palace's storied and haunting legacy.

ST PETERS CHURCH

HIGH ST, BRIDGE, CANTERBURY CT4

Bridge Village, nestled in the picturesque Nailbourne Valley, offers a serene rural landscape along historic Watling Street. This ancient Roman road once served as the primary thoroughfare connecting London to Dover. The tranquil waters of the Little Stour River gracefully border the village. 
The parish's origins likely trace back to "Bregge," which alludes to a quaint bridge that spans the Nailbourne, a charming tributary of the Stour. 
At the village's edge, two grand country estates testify to its rich history. Bourne Park, a magnificent Queen Anne mansion from 1702, exudes timeless elegance. Meanwhile, Higham Park, with its impressive neoclassical architecture, was once the residence of the remarkable and eccentric racing driver Count Louis Zborowski. Here, his iconic giant-engined "Chitty Bang Bang" cars were crafted alongside Babs—the legendary vehicle employed by J.G. Parry-Thomas in a daring attempt to break the land speed record at Pendine Sands in 1927.
In Peter Underwood's captivating work, "Ghosts of Kent," he describes an old Norman church with various peculiar curiosities. Among these is a bizarre sculpture depicting a snake weaving through the eye of a skull, along with vivid representations of the Garden of Eden—one unsettling scene featuring the Devil disguised as a strange bird, climbing a tree. The church also houses a stone effigy of Macobus Kasey, the village Vicar during the early 1500s, depicted in his ceremonial robes.
Within this sacred space lie family vaults that tell tales of generations past. Like many villages across the countryside, records show that the devastating plague swept through Bridge Village, claiming the lives of young and old alike. There are also accounts of men and women who met tragic fates, leaving remnants of their stories etched in the land.
According to Kent Archeology, Tim Tatton-Brown's Survey 1994, the church suffered a regrettable over-restoration in 1859 under the guidance of Scott. John Newman. B.O.E. The N.E. and Kent" (3rd ed. 1983) 159 made remarks on the work as 'being done with grotesque insensitivity.' Their findings reveal that the nave, chancel, south aisle, and the tower's base date back to the 12th century—though it's suggested that part of the nave may originate from the late 11th century, even if visible evidence remains elusive.
**HAUNTINGS**
In "Ghosts of Kent," Peter Underwood recounts a chilling tale from when a country club occupied the church's building. Shortly after acquiring the property, the owner awoke one morning to the eerie sight of a young girl dressed in an old-fashioned maid's outfit gliding silently across his bedroom. She carried a linen basket, gently placing it on the floor before vanishing into thin air along with the basket itself. This spectral encounter sparked curiosity among club members, who began to inquire about sightings of a young woman in vintage attire standing solemnly at the top of the stairs.
Additionally, Andrew Green shares a haunting story surrounding a previous owner—a tragic tale of a liaison with a maid that resulted in the birth of a child. The grim lore suggests that the child's body was concealed within the confines of the house, hidden in a linen basket. It is said that the baby's cries echoed mournfully from a chimney on the ground floor, a sorrowful reminder of the darkness that shadows the estate.