Canterbury is a historic cathedral city located on the River Stour in the Southeast England. It is located 55 miles southeast of London with a population of around 43,432 in 2011 census. The nearby villages and suburbs of the city include Rough Common, Harbledown, Tyler Hill, Hales Place, Sturry, and Wincheap. The River Stour segregates the south-east part of the city into two wings, one wing flowing through the city and other around the position of the former walls. The two wings further combine on the northeast edge of the city. Canterbury local government district covers the area of Herne and Whitstable Bay and Member of Parliament elected in the city is Rosie Duffield of Labour Party. Under Local Government Act, the city became a county borough, later on, it lost its county borough status and afterward, Kent County Council has taken the full control.
History
The first early settlement of Canterbury dates back to prehistoric times. Romans captured the settlement of Celtic tribe in the 1st century and given the name Durovernum Cantiacorum. The city was redeveloped with the construction of the temple, public baths, theatre and roads with grid pattern by the Romans. They also built a wall with seven gates and an earth bank around the city to safeguard from Barbarians attack. After the abandonment of Roman period, Anglo-Saxon community developed within the city walls and trade developed in textile, pottery and leather sector.
The most serious epidemics Black Death affected the city in the 13th century and a population of the city declined from 10,000 to 3,000. Between 17th and 18th century, the castle of the city fell into disrepair and six gates were demolished. The silk industry was closed and trade was limited to only wheat and hops. The world’s first passenger railway came into existence in 1830 connected the town to a larger network of South Eastern Railway. The city was affected by First and Second World War destroyed 296 buildings and 731 homes and resulted in the death of 115 people. The redevelopment of the city took place ten years after the war and ring road was constructed to avoid growing problem of traffic congestion along with the development of Christ Church College and the University of Kent at Canterbury.
Economy
Canterbury is the second largest economy in the Kent and also known as wealthiest places in the south-east. The city is home to 4761 businesses provide job opportunities to more than 60,000 employees. Unemployment in the city has dropped largely with the involvement of Lakesview International Business Park, Whitefriars shopping complex and Canterbury Enterprise Hub. According to a survey in September 2011, unemployment rate recorded at just 5.7% which is quite low as compared to other cities of the England. Tourism plays a crucial role in the development of the city and contributes 258m dollars to the economy.
Education
Canterbury has several primary and secondary schools including Kings School, Barton Court Grammar School, The Canterbury High School and Archbishops School. For higher education, the city has three main universities and several other higher colleges and institutions providing education to 22% of the population according to 2011 census. The universities include the University of Kent, University for the Creative Arts and Canterbury Christ Church University.
Tourism
The city is famous for its beautiful beach fronts, stunning architecture, surrounding coastal towns and world-famous buildings. The tourism of the city is a perfect combination of city, countryside, and coast. The city is also a pilgrimage site and its renowned cathedral is recognised by UNESCO World Heritage Site drawing the attention of million tourists. The top rated tourist attractions in the city include Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, Heritage Museum, Norman Castle, Roman Museum, Chilham Castle and St Martin’s Church.
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