Latest News from Canterbury Guided Tours

New Historical Map

30 November 2021

The current, state-of-the-art, Marlowe Theatre can seat 1200 people in the main auditorium. But did you know that in Roman times Canterbury had a theatre that could accommodate 3,000 citizens?

Work by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT) has revealed the massive footprint of this theatre that straddled Watling/Castle and St Margaret’s Streets at the site of the Three Tuns Pub

An artist’s impression of this area in Roman times can be found here.

So why does Watling Street run straight through the site of this theatre? The answer is that the Roman Watling Street passed close by on the south side of the theatre. In Saxon times or later, Watling Street veered from its original Roman route to go through the site. This is clearly illustrated in the new Historical Map of Canterbury from Roman times to 1907, which researchers at CAT helped to develop.

Ask your walk leader to point out Roman features of Canterbury when you take a guided walk. Book your walk now

2pm tours available Christmas week

11 November 2021

We are pleased to offer additional 2pm daily walking tours between Christmas and New Year. These will be available from Mon 27th to Thursday 30th December, in addition to our usual Friday-Sunday 2pm tours.

11am tours continue daily.

John and Peggy Hayes Award 2020 Winners

13 October 2021

Canterbury Guided Tours attended Tower House on Thursday 30th September where the Lord Mayor presented the John and Peggy Hayes Award for the Best Work on Canterbury

The presentation had been postponed from the previous year due to the pandemic and after initial suggestions of a virtual ceremony, it was well worth the wait to be able to do this in person.

Available to receive the award were Canterbury Guided Tours Directors and members of the Management Committee (pictured in red sashes from left to right); Claire Cardy, Jenny Watson-Bore, Ian Osterloh, Julian Waltho and Katie Lester.

The event was lovely and everyone at Canterbury Guided Tours would like to extend thanks to the Lord Mayor and the Award Committee for acknowledging the work of all the guides who help to promote Canterbury’s rich history through our walking tours. It’s a real pleasure to receive this accolade and it’s one to celebrate as a team.

When John died in 1980, his wife Peggy initiated the prize in his memory and after she passed away in 2011, it was renamed to honour both her and John. The prize has been awarded each year for forty years to recognise work which increases understanding of Canterbury’s history but the money generously left by John and Peggy has now been used up. The presentation on 30 September to the Guides (the 2020 winners) and the compilers of a Historic Map of Canterbury (the 2021 winners) was therefore the last that will be held but both groups continue to work hard to make Canterbury’s history better known.