Canterbury: Suburbs and Surroundings

Canterbury is so much more than the relatively small area enclosed by what remains of its ancient city walls. During Roman times, when the city wall first appeared, the areas occupied by today’s suburbs were used as burial grounds. From the Saxon period onwards, houses, inns and small businesses appeared along the main approach roads to the city, such as those from London, Dover and Whitstable. This was when Canterbury suburbs were truly born. In the early medieval years, churches such as St Dunstan’s, St Stephen’s, and St Paul’s had been established outside the city walls. The suburbs continued to establish themselves around these places of worship, and gradually acquired their own identities. Even today, suburbs such as St Dunstan’s, Northgate and Wincheap retain many useful shops, and it is possible for local residents to buy what they need without having to go into the city centre.