Spain, France, England 2025: 9/15/2025 Goodbye Dover, train to Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, dinner-Cafe du Soleil

9/15/2025 Breakfast was some cookies that were in our room when we arrived and tea. We didn't feel like going back to Table Table and weren't all that impressed. I hadn't been able to find a place for a sit down ala carte type breakfast. Check out was easy as no extra charges. We had a lovely comfortable room. Our stay in Dover would have been perfect if our white cliffs of Dover boat tour hadn't been cancelled. The weather during our stay has been cold, windy, rainy-less than ideal. While waiting for our taxi we take in the sights of Dover one last time. Can only imagine how terrific that boat tour would have been. Still disappointed. Taxi to the train station. Cost 5.60£

Reception

Bags all packed

Dover Priory Station. Our train departs Dover Priory Station at 12:18 pm. Arrives Canterbury East at 12:46 pm. Cost 22£/$29.23

Train ticket

Canterbury. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kent county. River Stour. Popular tourist destination. Known for Canterbury Cathedral. Walkable town.

Taxi from the train station to our hotel. Canterbury Cathedral Lodge. This place is very close to the Cathedral. Our stay includes breakfast and admission to the Cathedral since the hotel is located within the grounds of the Cathedral. We will stay here from 9/15-9/17. Cost 360.00£/$470.32 We have a nice view from our room which is lovely. We were also told about discounts at places that we could get because we were guests here. We needed to carry our pass at all times to get the discounts and to also allow re-entry to the Cathedral grounds if we left .

Comfortable beds

Desk area

Kettle and supplies

Seating area

View

Safe

Bathroom-shower

Bathroom

Canterbury Cathedral. Headquarters Anglican Church. Thomas Becket is murdered by 4 of King Henry II's knights in 1170. Canterbury Cathedral became an important place of pilgrimage. Under King Henry VIII the Reformation put an end to the monastery at the Cathedral in 1540. In 1642 Civil war brought damage to the Cathedral and it was threatened with demolition. In 1840 the North West Tower was added. Firewatchers risked their lives in 1942 to successfully save the Cathedral during major bombing raids over Canterbury in WWII. Today it's part of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Highlights of the interior: Pulpitum Screen, the Nave, Quire, Trinity Chapel, Corona, the Crypt, the Martyrdom, Warriors' Chapel, and several Memorials. Beautiful stained glass. Unfortunately there is a college graduation taking place here so we have to hurry to see spots that will be closed to the public on 9/16. That is when I intended to really explore the Cathedral. It closes at 5:00 pm and it's now 3:15 pm so we have to hurry. There is a lot to see. I bought a guide book. Cost 5.00£/$6.79

Guidebook I bought

Postcard-I bought 2 of these because I mailed one home so I could have the stamp!

Postcard

Warriors' Chapel of St. Michael-hung with colors of the Buffs (Royal East Kent) Regiment

Rung at 11:00 am on week days to signal the daily prayers to commemorate the dead of the two world wars and more recent conflicts.

Nave

Postcard-Nave: looking east

1898 pulpit in the Nave

Font-features statues of the four Evangelists and the cover includes a depiction of Christ blessing children

Graduation is for Canterbury Christ Church University

Pulpitum Screen-carved stone stands at the top of a flight of stone steps between the quire and the nave. The screen built in c.1455 separated the public area of the cathedral from the monastic quire where the monks' services were held.

Richard II, Henry V, and Ethelbert

Edward the Confessor, Henry IV, and Henry VI

Bell Harry Tower-named after Prior Henry of Eastry who had given a bell to be hung in the earlier medieval tower in the late 13th century. The fan vaulting below the tower is considered a triumph of medieval architecture with its delicate tracery, heraldic bosses, and in the middle a white cross on a blue background which is the shield of the cathedral.

Postcard-Martydom

Christ Church Gate-main entrance to the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral. Built 1517. Surface covered with carved and decorated heraldic symbols and coats of arms commemorating Arthur, Prince of Wales-the elder brother of Henry VIII

Pictures that Richard took.

Cafe du Soleil. Taxi from our hotel. Cost 10.20£ Our reservation is for 7:00 pm. This place is cute. Outside seating but not for us. I chose this place because of its good reviews for pizza. Lemonade and hot chocolate. Napoletana pizza-extra crispy-large. Dessert-Valrohna dark chocolate brownie. Cost 41.57£/$56.47 which is the amount charged on my credit card statement. But this may have been a mistake as the bill for our dinner receipt shows 41.75£ with 10% hotel discount end total 37.57£ but then I notice on a different receipt that 4.00£-tip-has been added! Taxi back but we were dropped off at the Christ Church Gate. Barrier was up so taxi driver could not enter the grounds with his car. Cost 10£ Short walk back to the hotel. It was nice to see the Cathedral at night.