[TR 151579] Christ Church Cathedral [TU]. (1) The Cathedral Priory of the Holy Trinity or Christchurch, Canterbury. Founded in 598, apparently a collegiate foundation, although another version maintains that it was at first monastic, becoming collegiate c833; refounded 997; after the suppression a collegiate chapter was constituted for a dean and twelve prebenderies. (2-3) See map diagram for details of Priory Buildings. (4) Christchurch Cathedral, Grade A. The original church on the site was one built for Roman Christians. St Augustine reconsecrated this church in 602AD. The present building is a mixture of building styles from the C11 to the present day. The exterior is built mainly of Caen stone. On the east side some Romanesque arcading is visible though most of the stonework dates from 1175-84, built by William of Sens and William the Englishman, or from the late C14 to mid C15 rebuilding. The south-west tower was built in 1424-34, the north-west tower is a replica of this built in 1832-41. The central "Bell Harry" tower of brick faced with stone was built between 1494 and 1503 and is one of the first brick structures. 7 bay Nave with clerestory, built between 1378-1410. Choir and Corona built by William of Sens and William the Englishman. Very fine early Romanesque crypt of 10 bays and Chapel of Our Lady of the Undercroft. (5) Additional references. (6-61) Excavations of 1993 located traces of RB layers, indicating a pebbled street running NE-SW beneath the cathedral. Remains of the AS cathedral were discovered 0.2m below the 1786 floor, consisting of 4 main phases. Possible remains of the original church of St. Augustine (AD 597), the oratory of St. Mary and the possible site of a large ring crypt (housing the remains of St. Dunstan?). The C14/15 floor of the Lady Chapel and several MD burials were located. (62)


Dendrochronology of the SE transept spirelet. At least two phases of construction identified. Felling date range 1097-1122 for primary structure, 1257-82 for secondary braces. Dendrochronology of the 'bakehouse' on the first floor of St Anselm's Tower gave a felling date of 1383. Numerous samples were taken from the north-west transept roof though none of these could be dated. (69)

Dendrochronology of (an unidentified) door. The ironwork dates to c.1070 though the wood appears to be a replacement following the fire of 1174. Date range 1175-1275. (70)

Dendrochronology of the upper stage of the Bell Harry Tower gave a date range of c.1417. (71)

In 2008 the Kent Underground Research Group carried out a survey of the Great Drain. In the 12th century Prior Wibert created a water supply for the Cathedral. This was developed in the late 14th and early 15th century by Prior Chillenden. Prior Goldsone (1495-1517) extended the system. It is thought the drain was further repaired in the 17th century. The drain typically consists of a brick-built tunnel with a barrel vaulted roof. (72)

In 2009 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out excavations adjacent to the south west transept as part of renovation works. Anglo-Saxon burials were found cut by the Norman cathedral's foundations. These belonged to the lay cemetery that had been established in the area. The remains were further disturbed in the 15th century when the transept was built. Elements of a late medieval drain were found, still draining the cathedral roof runoff. (73)

Bell Harry Tower in Canterbury Cathedral housed a human powered treadwheel for lifting building materials (see millsarchives.org)

Description from record TR 15 NE 678:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
944 THE CATHEDRAL PRECINCTS Christchurch Cathedral TR 1557 NW 5/1 3.12.49 I The original church on the site was one built for Roman Christians. St Augustine reconsecrated this church in 602 AD. The present building is a mixture of building styles from the C11 to the present day. The exterior is built mainly of Caen stone. On the East side some Romanesque arcading is visible though most of the stone work dates from 1175-84, built by William of Sens and WIlliam the Englishman, or from the late C14 to Mid C15 rebuilding. The south-west tower was built in 1424-34, the north-west tower is a replica of this built in 1832-41. The central "Bell Harry" tower of brick faced with stone was built between 1494 and 1503 and is one of the first brick structures. 7 bay Nave with clerestory, built between 1378 - 1410. Choir and Corona built by William of Sens and William the Englishman. Very fine early Romanesque crypt of 10 bays and Chapel of Our Lady of the Undercroft. Listing NGR: TR1511457922 (74)

Photographs (76-80)

Additional bibliography (81-83)

Historic England archive material (84)

<1> OS 1/2500 1957 (OS Card Reference). SKE48127.

<2> Med Rel Houses Eng & Wales 1953 61 (D Knowles & RN Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46782.

<3> VCH Kent 2 1926 113-121 (RC Fowler) (OS Card Reference). SKE50940.

<4> F1 CFW 05-FEB-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42436.

<5> DOE (HHR) City of Canterbury Kent Sept 1973 61-63 73 75 76 (OS Card Reference). SKE40121.

<6> PSA 2nd Series 17 1897-9 445-6 plan (WH St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE48817.

<7> Arch 10 1792 37-49 (S Penne) (OS Card Reference). SKE34365.

<8> Arch J 33 1876 1-14 (W J Loftie) (OS Card Reference). SKE36613.

<9> Arch J 32 1875 86-88 (G Gilbert Scott) (OS Card Reference). SKE36612.

<10> Arch J 54 1897 240-244 (JC Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE36655.

<11> Arch J 53 189 1896 258-285 386-387 (WH St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE36645.

<12> Arch J 4 1847 160-162 (R Willis) (OS Card Reference). SKE36627.

<13> Arch J 2 1846 274-283 (R Willis) (OS Card Reference). SKE36591.

<14> Arch J 68 1911 203 (C Lynam) (OS Card Reference). SKE36677.

<15> Grose's Antiquities 2 1774 1-2 61-69 73-77 129-30 137 141-2 (OS Card Reference). SKE43637.

<16> Arch Cant 18 1889 253 257-260 (WP Thornton) (OS Card Reference). SKE34771.

<17> Arch Cant 10 1876 93-98 (JC Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34511.

<18> Arch Cant 13 1880 17-80 500-551 (OS Card Reference). SKE34688.

<19> Trans Durham & Northumb Arch & Archaeol Soc 2 1871 45(JF Hodgson) (OS Card Reference). SKE50647.

<20> Trans Durham & Northumb Arch & Archaeol Soc 1 1862 12-13 (GG Scott) (OS Card Reference). SKE50646.

<21> PSA 30 Series 2 1918 136-140 (W St John Hope) (OS Card Reference). SKE48831.

<22> Arch Cant 80 1965 292 (LRA Grove) (OS Card Reference). SKE35699.

<23> Arch Cant 45 1933 37-47 (C Eveleigh Woodruff) (OS Card Reference). SKE35161.

<24> JBAA 45 1889 82-3 (EPL Brock) 193 (CF Routledge) (OS Card Reference). SKE44986.

<25> Arch Cant 70 1956 262 (CW Walker) (OS Card Reference). SKE35473.

<26> BOE North East & East Kent 1983 170-229 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38257.

<27> Arch Cant7 1868 1-206 (R Willis) (OS Card Reference). SKE36483.

<28> The Arts in Early England 2 1925 447 (G Baldwin Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE50095.

<29> Arch Cant 43 1931 298-300 (OS Card Reference). SKE35122.

<30> Arch Cant 18 1889 169-173 (S Robertson) 174-6 (J Brigstocke Sheppard) (OS Card Reference). SKE34768.

<31> Arch Cant 86 1929 99-110 (WH Godfrey) (OS Card Reference). SKE35835.

<32> Arch Ael New Ser 18 1896 124-5 (JF Hodgson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34473.

<33> Cant Arch Trust Ann Rep 3 1978-9 11-12 19-20 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE38502.

<34> Cant Arch Trust Ann Rep 4 1979-80 18-20 (J Rady) 31 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE38504.

<35> Arch Cant 88 1973 23-50 (E Gilbert) (OS Card Reference). SKE35959.

<36> Arch Cant 94 1978 278 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36196.

<37> CBA Arch in Britain 1978 67 (OS Card Reference). SKE38756.

<38> Anglo-Saxon Architecture 1978 1098 (HM Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE33086.

<39> Arch Cant 93 1977 217 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36131.

<40> Post Med Arch 12 1978 109 (J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE48541.

<41> Arch J 127 1970 196-201 (RDH Gem) 202-210 (EC Gilbert) (OS Card Reference). SKE36574.

<42> Med Brit from the Air 1984 168-169 photo (C Platt) (OS Card Reference). SKE46772.

<43> Arch Cant 92 1976 129-136 (C Hewett & T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36076.

<44> Tenth Century Studies 1975 154-158 (D Parsons) (OS Card Reference). SKE49832.

<45> Hist of the Kings Works 6 1973 644-5 (JM Crook & MH Port) (OS Card Reference). SKE44045.

<46> Arch J 126 1969 244-247 (P Kidson & G Zarnecki) (OS Card Reference). SKE36552.

<47> Arch of Anglo-Saxon England 1976 157 (DM Wilson) (OS Card Reference). SKE36813.

<48> N Staffs Journal of Field Studies 9 1969 47 (HM Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE47503.

<49> Med Gardens 1981 64 (J Harvey) (OS Card Reference). SKE46773.

<50> K A S Newsletter 6 1984 4-5 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE45206.

<51> English Historic Carpentry 1980 197-201 (CA Hewett) (OS Card Reference). SKE41646.

<52> Arch Cant 98 1982 233 (J Rady) (OS Card Reference). SKE36315.

<53> Sub Brit 13 1981 16-17 (R le Gear) (OS Card Reference). SKE49715.

<54> Arch Cant 95 1979 276-8 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36217.

<55> Tanner's "Notitia Monastica" 1787 Kent XII,1 (Naismith) (OS Card Reference). SKE49801.

<56> Abbeys:Intro to Rel Houses of Eng & Wales 1958 fig 24(i) (G Gilyard Been) (OS Card Reference). SKE32946.

<57> Country Life 82 1937 151 photos (OS Card Reference). SKE39454.

<58> Munimenta Antiqua 4 1805 206-9 (E King) (OS Card Reference). SKE47476.

<59> Eng Roman Arch before the Conquest 1930 85-87 (Clapham) (OS Card Reference). SKE41602.

<60> Eng Monasteries 1923 (AH Thompson) (OS Card Reference). SKE41595.

<61> Cath Churches of England 1925 (AH Thompson) (OS Card Reference). SKE38746.

<62> CANON G M LENETI (Collection). SKE6544.

<63> TURNER MANUSCRIPT (Collection). SKE6487.

<64> S A WARNER (Collection). SKE6545.

<65> [CRYPT TRACINGS] (Collection). SKE6489.

<66> "ANCIENT GLASS OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL" (Collection). SKE6490.

<67> "CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL" (Collection). SKE6501.

<68> Arch Cant. 1993, p.355. (OS Card Reference). SKE36458.

<69> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 41, Pg. 96 (Website). SKE17391.

<70> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 12, Pg. 39 (Website). SKE17391.

<71> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 19, Pg. 48 (Website). SKE17391.

<72> Kent Underground Research Group, 2008, Caves and Tunnels in South East England - Part 18 (Unpublished document). SKE25125.

<73> Weekes, J., 2012, Canterbury Archaeological Trust Interim Reports, Archaeologia Cantiana CXXXII 2012: 294-5 (Article in serial). SKE25119.

<74> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<75> CAPITAL Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE509.

<76> CLOSE-UP OF INSCRIPTION Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE511.

<77> INSCRIPTION - 'ROBERTUS' Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE510.

<78> CAPITAL Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE509.

<79> INSCRIPTION - 'ROBERTUS' Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE510.

<80> CLOSE-UP OF INSCRIPTION Types: ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Photograph). SKE511.

<81> Not Given (Collection). SKE6510.

<82> Not Given (Collection). SKE6510.

<83> Centre for Archaeology, 2017, Conserving Stained Glass Using Environmental Protective Glazing (Unpublished document). SKE54617.

<84> Historic England, Archive material associated with Canterbury Cathedral, Listed Building (Archive). SKE54621.