England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Canterbury St Mary Northgate

The Parish

The ancient city of Canterbury is located about 55 miles southeast of London on the A2 road (a Roman creation) which connects the capital with the major Kent port of Dover, the gateway to Calais and the continent of Europe. Canterbury was probably founded in pre-Roman times but the conquerors certainly grew its stature and turned it into one of their major administrative centres, subsequently its became the Saxon capital of the kingdom of Kent and eventually the major religious centre for Christianity in southeast England. Canterbury became the seat of the Archbishopric following the drive to convert the country in the 6th century. Canterbury remains the administrative capital of Kent (despite Maidstone's pretensions) and a significant market for the whole of eastern Kent. Canterbury, like many of England's ancient cities, is divided into many parishes (in the case of Canterbury - 17) and St Mary Northgate's parish (the qualifier is needed as Canterbury had 4 churches dedicated to St Mary) was not only a city parish but also a true suburb in that it included a large area outside the city's walls, it held the northernmost area of the city plus this suburban area and was the most populous parish amongst the 17. Canterbury is drained by the Great Stour which flows which flows northeastwards to reach the North Sea through the port of Sandwich. St Peter's church is sited at just 8 metres above sea level, it being not far from the banks of the Great Stour. As a great city by the time of Norman invasion Canterbury is documented extensively in Domesday Book, too much so to re-document here.

The Church

St Mary Northgate, as its name suggests sits at the city#s ancient Roman northern gate, or rather it was largely built upon the ancient Roman northern gate. The original chancel sat upon the gate, itself, whilst the nave incorporated a stretch of the city's wall as its northern face. As can still be seen this church included Roman material as well as having 12th century fabric. All changed for the church in 1830 when a decision was made to remove the city's gate which was a blockage to travel. The church was, therefore, rebuilt following the wall's demolition with only the stretch that formed the northern wall remaining of the original church. The remainder was rebuilt in a "coarse lancet style" (as Pevsner puts it) largely of brick. Three big eastern gables face the street and the church acquired a rather plain brick tower at its southwestern corner. Today the church is surplus to religious requirements and has been deconsecrated and reused as a drama workshop (at the date of Pevsner's examination). Like most city churches it is one best sought on foot after using a city car park, the enclosed space within which it sits leave very few aspects to the photographers' eyes.