Canterbury (ancient Durovernum), city, Kent, southeastern England, on the Stour River, the ecclesiastical center of England. The present city, formed in 1974, incorporates the former city and county borough of Canterbury and an area that includes the seaside towns of Whitstable and Herne Bay. Trade in grain and hops, the chief crops of the region, is conducted here. Among the industrial establishments are textile mills, brickworks, and breweries; tourism is also important to the economy. At Whitstable are oyster fisheries.
The town of Canterbury is dominated by its huge cathedral, seat of the Primate of the Church of England since the late 6th century. The present cathedral was constructed between 1070 and 1180, with important additions dating from the 15th and 19th centuries. Trinity Chapel, to the rear of the altar, contains the site of the shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket, who was murdered here in 1170. At the eastern terminus of the cathedral is the circular tower known as Corona Chapel or Becket's Crown. On the northern side of the cathedral are the cloisters, chapter house, baptistery, deanery, library, and the King's School (a grammar school, originally established 7th century). Among the Roman relics in Canterbury are the remains of the town walls and the mosaic floors of a villa. Canterbury is the seat of Saint Augustine's College (1848) for training Anglican clergy, the University of Kent at Canterbury (1965), and the City of Canterbury College of Art (1874).
