Christmas market returns to the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral

A Christmas market first held 600 years ago returns to one of the county's most famous historic sites this Christmas.

It was first held in 1383 in the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral, after King Richard II donated it, and ran for hundreds of years.

But in 1813 the law was rejected, apparently due to concerns about “indecency and seditious behavior.”

Now the attraction is being revived as part of the larger downtown festival market and includes a vintage-style carousel and live music.

There will be a number of quaint German-style wooden huts as well as various food and drink stalls and carol singing services.

During the market, entry to the site is free. Visitors only have to pay to enter the cathedral and cloister during visiting hours, unless they are attending a religious service.

It is a collaboration between the Cathedral, Canterbury BID (Business Improvement District) and Rockhopper Events and is an extension of Canterbury's existing, popular traditional festival market which stretches across the entire city centre.

The festival is considered one of the most magical Christmas shopping experiences in the country and it is hoped that the inclusion of the Cathedral Precinct will attract even more visitors from locally, nationally and abroad and make Christmas in Canterbury a cornerstone of the annual celebrations.

Already in the early planning stages, the city will be illuminated with more than nine kilometers of sparkling festive lights and over 118,000 LEDs to decorate Canterbury's medieval streets and buildings.

The market starts on November 15th and will welcome more than 150 stallholders in over 90 huts.

A Canterbury BID spokesperson said: “The BID is delighted to support this exciting addition to our popular Christmas celebrations and we can’t wait to celebrate across the city and now in the beautiful Cathedral precinct.”

As the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, Christmas has always had enormous significance in Canterbury.

When the Puritans banned Christmas in 1647, the people of the city rebelled and a football match on Christmas Day turned into full-blown riots.

Ultimately, the so-called Plum Pudding Riots led to a Royalist uprising throughout Kent and the second round of the English Civil War.