Canterbury

Canterbury rioted when the government tried to abolish Christmas.

Canterbury
the Great Stour
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Key words

  • Celtic: of an ancient European people who are related to the Irish, Scots, Welsh, and Bretons, or of their language or culture

Celtic art is still popular in Ireland.

  • Anglican: relating to the Church of England, or an international Church connected with it

He's not Catholic, he's an Anglican.

  • Archbishop: a bishop of the highest rank who is in charge of churches and other bishops in a particular large area

The Archbishop of Canterbury holds the highest position in the Church of England.

  • Abolish: to end an activity or custom officially

I think bullfighting should be abolished.

  • Riot: an occasion when a large number of people behave in a noisy, violent, and uncontrolled way in public, often as a protest

Two people were killed in the riots last night.


Read the article to find the answers

  1. Where does the Archbishop of Canterbury lead the Church of England from?
  2. Who converted King Æthelberht to Christianity?
  3. Why was Thomas Becket killed?
  4. What happened in Canterbury during the Civil War?

Canterbury

Canterbury is a city and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kent. It began as a Celtic settlement, was conquered by the Romans and then settled by the Anglo-Saxons.

The Archbishop of Canterbury leads the Church of England and Anglicans worldwide from Canterbury Cathedral. It is one of the oldest Christian buildings in England. The oldest surviving school in Britain and the world, The King's School, has been in continuous operation on the cathedral site since 597 AD.

Augustine of Canterbury

Canterbury was the capital of King Æthelberht's Kingdom of Kent when a missionary called Augustine was sent from Rome to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. He was the founding father of the Church of England, and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597.

After King Æthelberht was converted to Christianity by Augustine, he gave the missionaries from Rome land to build a monastery outside the city and allowed them to preach freely. Augustine was made a bishop by the Pope and converted many of the Anglo-Saxons, including thousands at a mass baptism. Canterbury was eventually given authority over the whole of the English Church by the Pope.

Pilgrimage

Canterbury became one of the most important cities in Europe after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket. He was killed by supporters of the King who wanted to take away his immunity from prosecution. Pilgrims came from all over Europe to visit his shrine.

The shrine of Thomas Becket was demolished during the English Reformation. It was ordered to be dismantled by King Henry VIII as part of his campaign to break away from the authority of the Catholic Church. All the gold, silver and jewels were taken to the Tower of London, ending the pilgrimage that provided the setting for Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

The Plum Pudding Riots

During the Civil War, the Puritan government tried to wipe out more of the Catholic Church's traditions by abolishing Christmas celebrations. The people of Canterbury protested with a football match followed by a mass brawl. The riots, known as the Plum Pudding Riots, led to a royalist rebellion across Kent and the second round of the Civil War.


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Discussion questions

  • Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
  • Are there any UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your country?
  • What's the oldest school in your country?
  • Were missionaries sent from Rome to your country?
  • Do you celebrate Christmas?

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