One of the most defining moments in the history of Canterbury Cathedral occurred in 1170 with the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket. Becket, once a close ally of King Henry II, had become embroiled in a bitter dispute with the king over the rights and privileges of the Church. Becket’s unwavering stance on the autonomy of the Church led to his dramatic assassination in the cathedral itself, an event that shocked medieval Europe.

Becket’s murder transformed Canterbury Cathedral into a major pilgrimage destination. Soon after his death, Becket was canonized as a saint by Pope Alexander III, and his shrine in the cathedral became one of the most revered in Christendom. Pilgrims from across Europe flocked to Canterbury to pay homage, and the cathedral’s fame grew, significantly contributing to the city’s prominence during the medieval period.

The murder and subsequent canonization of Thomas Becket were immortalized in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, a work that would further solidify the cathedral’s place in English cultural history.

Architectural Evolution: From Romanesque to Gothic

Over the centuries, Canterbury Cathedral underwent numerous changes in its architectural style. The Norman Romanesque style that dominated the early phases of construction gradually gave way to the Gothic style, which became prominent in the 12th and 13th centuries. The most significant of these changes occurred under the leadership of Archbishop Thomas of Dover, who oversaw the construction of the cathedral’s spectacular east end and the creation of the famous Trinity Chapel to house the shrine of Thomas Becket.

By the 14th century, the cathedral had fully embraced the Gothic style, with the addition of flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, and pointed arches that allowed for larger windows and the creation of the stunning stained glass that now adorns the cathedral. This transition reflected broader architectural trends across Europe and further emphasized the cathedral’s importance as a center of religious and artistic achievement. shutdown123