Foundation Property Services

NEIGHBOURING TOWNS:
Whitstable, Faversham and Herne Bay

POSITION:
Canterbury lies on the River Stour in the south east corner of Kent approximately 7 miles from the popular seaside town of Whitstable and approximately 60 miles from the centre of London. It is surrounded by a large selection of pretty Kent villages.

HISTORY:
The Canterbury area has been inhabited since prehistoric times.  In the first century AD, the Romans captured the settlement and rebuilt the city with new streets, a theatre, a temple, a forum and public baths. They also built an earth bank and a wall which enclosed an area of 130 acres. The Romans left in 410 AD leaving only a few farmers and it gradually decayed.  Over the next 100 years an Anglo-Saxon community formed within the city walls. The city has had many disasters one of which was the Black Death in 1348. It has also seen several wars.   

INTERESTING FACTS:
Many historical structures remain in the city, including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century, the ruins of St. Augustine’s Abbey and a Norman castle, and perhaps the oldest school in England, The King’s School. Thomas Becket’s murder at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 led to the cathedral becoming a place of pilgrimage for Christians worldwide and still remains so today. The city’s first newspaper, The Kentish Post, was founded in 1717.

ROAD AND RAIL LINKS:
There are two railway stations offering regular rail services to London Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon street. The high speed rail link connects with London’s St. Pancras from Canterbury West station in just under one hour. Ashford International station and the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone are both about 14 miles away and provide regular Eurostar and shuttle services to the continent. The A2/M2 motorway provides good access to both London and the Channel port of Dover.

SHOPS:
Canterbury has an extensive shopping centre with the main high street brands and a large array of smaller independent shops. It also has several of the large supermarket chains.

SERVICES:
Police, fire and ambulance stations, post office, library, opticians, garages, petrol stations, hairdressers, chiropodists, two local radio stations and much, much more.

SCHOOLS:  
An excellent selection of both state and independent schools from nursery, playgroups and primary through to secondary education. It also has three universities.

DOCTORS AND DENTISTS:
A wide selection in both NHS and private.  It also has two hospitals.

CLUBS:
A wide variety of clubs for all ages including golf, cricket, rugby and football.

LEISURE FACILITIES:
The Marlow Theatre, Cinemas, Kingsmead Leisure Centre are just a small selection of the excellent facilities available. Canterbury also has some lovely parks and gardens.

PUBS/RESTAURANTS:
There are a large selection of pubs and restaurants catering for all tastes.

SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE:
Numerous picturesque villages with lovely walks are just a short drive from the city centre.

updated 20th December 2010