Gunierbury'sHisioric Significance
These dates show how important Canterbury and the surrounding district has
been since the beginning of British history and the significance of 2000 years of
continuous occupation.
c. 100,000 B.C.
Stone Age man hunts in the Stour Valley.
c. 8,000 B.C.
England gradually separated from France
by the Channel.
c. 800 B.C.
Bronze smiths working at Swalecliffe.
c. 300 B.C.
Iron Age settlements throughout East
Kent.
June 54 B.C.
Julius Ceasar marches through Canterbury.
A.D. 43
CLAUDIUS lN\/ADES BRITAIN — SETS UP A
TRIBAL CAPITAL IN CANTERBURY,
CALLED DUROVERNUM CANTIACORUM
c. A.D. 225
Romans build Saxon shore fort at
Reculver.
c. A.D. 275
Citizens of Canterbury build wall against
Saxon invaders.
c. A.D. 500
Jewel clad Anglo-Saxon warriors and
their wives are buried in many large
cemeteries notably at Howletts, Bifrons
and on Barham Downs.
A.D. 598
St. Augustine, the first Archbishop,
begins to build a CathedraI,as described
by Bede.
c. A.D. 650
Kings and Archbishops produce coinage
at Canterbury from one of Englands
earliest Mints.
c. A.D. 900
Boat abandoned on Graveney Marshes,
near Seasalter. Found 1970, now being
conserved in National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich — the only late Saxon boat
found in Britain. Remains of hops found
in it.
A.D. 1011
Danes sack and occupy the City.
c. A.D. 1080
William the Conqueror compulsorily
acquiring land to build a royal Castle at
Canterbury.
A.D. 1170
29th December Becket murdered.
c. A.D. 1379
Henry Yevele royal master mason, friend
and colleague of Chaucer,commences
building incomparable perpendicular
nave of Cathedral. Rebuilds Castle,
Westgate and City Walls.
A.D. 1538
Henry VIII despoils monastic
properties and takes over St. Augustine's
Abbey as a royal residence.
English Bronze Age
spearhead c. 1600 B.C.
found Westbere Marshes
Sturry. Length 9 3/3".
Copyright
Canterbury Royal Museum
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