 The Church of St. Martin in Canterbury is England's oldest parish church in continuous use. It was here that St. Augustine set up his mission when he arrived from Rome in 597 AD to convert the English.
St. Martin's was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent in the 6th Century before St. Augustine arrived from Rome. Queen Bertha was a Christian Frankish princess who arrived in England with her Chaplain, Bishop Liudhard. King Ethelberht of Kent, her husband, allowed her to continue to practice her religion in an existing church, which the Venerable Bede says had been in use in the late Roman period but had fallen into disuse. There is a strong possibility that this church is St. Martin's, especially since Bede names it.
Local finds prove that Christianity did exist in this area of the city at the time, and the church contains many reused Roman bricks, as well as complete sections of walls of Roman tiles. Several sections of walls are clearly very early, and it is possible that a blocked square-headed doorway in the chancel was the entrance to Bertha's church.
St. Martin's is part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site along with St. Augustine's Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral.
About St. Martin's Church (Canterbury)
World Heritage Site Page: Canterbury Cathedral, St. Augustine's Abbey, and St. Martin's Church
St. Martin's Church Website
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: Canterbury
Wikipedia: St. Martin's Church, Canterbury
Wikipedia: Augustine of Canterbury
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Augustine of Canterbury
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: Bertha, Queen of Kent
Journey to St. Martin's Church (Canterbury)
St. Martin's Church is located on the east side of North Holmes Road, close to the junction with Longport and St. Martin's Hill in the town of Canterbury in Kent in Southeast England. It is about 10 minutes walk from St. Augustione's Abbey and a 20 minute walk from Canterbury Cathedral.
Ordnance Survey Map (TR157578)
Visitors Information
Visitors information for St. Martin's Church may be found at the St. Martin's Church website. General tourism information for Canterbury may be found at the Visit Canterbury website. General tourism information for Kent may be found at the Visit Kent website.
Additional Photos of St. Martin's Church (Canterbury)
Approaching the Entrance to the St. Martin's Church Grounds
Approaching the Entrance to St. Martin's Church
Entrance to St. Martin's Church
Stained Glass Window of St. Martin Giving Half His Cloak to a Leper
Stained Glass Window of St. Bertha
Stained Glass Window of of Women Who Spread the Faith in England
West Wall and Roof
Altar in the 12th Century Sanctuary Rebuilt in the 19th Century
East End Window Showing Scenes of Bertha, Etrhelbert, and Augustine
East End Window Showing St.Augustine Landing at Ebbs Fleet
East End Window Showing Queen Bertha at Worship
East End Window Showing St. Augustine Entering Canterbury
East End Window Showing the Baptism of King Ethelbert
Original Roman Church Wall
Plaque in St. Martin's Church
Exterior of St. Martin's Church
Exterior of St. Martin's Church
Exterior of St. Martin's Church
Plaque in Churchyard Commemorating the 1400th Anniversary of St. Augustine's Landing
Old Map of Canterbury in St. Martin's Churchyard
Queen Bertha's Walk Plaque Near St. Martin's Church
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