Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

By the summer of 1492 Christ Church Priory owned all the city walls between Burgate and Northgate. Thomas Chillenden (Prior 1391-1411) organised repair of the walls between Northgate and Queningate. Four square towers were added at that time, and two round bastions were probably added during Prior Selling's work on the defences in the 1480's.

Monument Types

• WALL (Roman to Post Medieval - 43 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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By the summer of 1492 Christ Church Priory owned all the city walls between Burgate and Northgate. Thomas Chillenden (Prior 1391-1411) organised repair of the walls between Northgate and Queningate. Four square towers were added at that time, and two round bastions were probably added during Prior Selling's work on the defences in the 1480's. Roman fabric survives adjacent to the square tower beyond steps up to the precincts entrance. Part of a brick arch and some large supporting blocks of Kentish ragstone indicate the position of a Roman gate, later known as Queningate.

The wall survives as far as Northgate which was demolished in the 1830s, the last of the ancient city gates to be pulled down.

Blockley, K., Sparks, M. & Tatton-Brown, T., 1997, Canterbury Cathedral Nave, Archaeology, History and Architecture (Monograph). SKE29723.

Elder, J. & Duncan, M., 2002, Canterbury City Wall Trail (Monograph). SKE29730.

Sources and further reading