igorek

I still have 1 day trip from London unallocated, and deciding between Kent (Canterbury and Dover) or Cambridge.

1. Dover Castle: does anybody know about wartime tunnels tours ? I was googling trying to find the schedule (I'll be there on Sunday), but to no avail.

2. Canterbury Cathedral: I'll probably get flamed , but still - is it different enough from Westminster to be of interest to a non-expert in the Early English Gothic ? Also some tourists mention it as a shameless rip-off, but looks like it should be free on Sunday...

ribeirasacra

The English heritage web site is not working at the moment.
But this web site says the castle is open on Sundays during the winter.

http://www.dover-castle-friends.org/fodc/Home.htm

You will need a car or train then taxi to get to the castle from London.
Yes Canterbury is very different to Westminster.
Here is the tourist web site for the city so make up your own mind if it is s tourist rip of or not, personally it is not.
http://www.canterbury.co.uk/thedms.asp?dms=11&groupid=2

Cholmondley_Warner

Canterbury Cathedral is a working church and is only open for tourists for two hours on Sundays - 12.30 - 14.30.

isabel

Your post implies that you have other day trips planned. Where else are you going? That would influence my answer to your question. I thought Canterbury Cathedral was once of the best and I've been to several of the main cathedrals from that era in England. But of course they are somewhat similar. The town of Canterbury is also a nice place for a few hours stroll, but not sure how much is open on Sundays. If you aren't planning a day trip to Oxford then Cambridge would be a good option, though I really liked Oxford more than Cambridge. There are a few threads here with people saying which of those two cities they liked better. So if you aren't doing Oxford then that's where I'd go (and it's the easiest of the three to get to) but if you are, then I'd choose Canterbury.

VirginiaC

If you are fit and love walking up hill, Dover Castle is fascinating. But if any in your party tires easily, it can be a bit daunting. The tour of the wartime tunnels themselves includes lots of stairs and no photography is permitted.
Canterbury Cathedral is our least favorite of the great churches. We recognize that these buildings require great sums for maintenance, but Canterbury seems extortionate compared to York or Coventry.
But Cambridge is wonderful, walkable, easily reached from London by train. Take the hop on/hop off bus; a Green Guides tour, or just wander any colleges that are open or stroll along the backs. The Fitzwilliam is a great museum. Grab a bite in a tearoom, a pub, or one of the many restaurants on the pedestrian streets or along the banks of the Cam.
Check the schedule for evensong at King's College Chapel.

stfc

I'm with Virginia. Given this choice, Cambridge. Attractive, old, compact. Perfect for a day trip.

rogeruktm

I walked from the train station to Canterbury Cathedral. Not sure why it was mentioned that you need a taxi.

flanneruk

Canterbury cathedral isn't different enough from Westminster Abbey to be, of itself, worth making a special trip to if you're short of time and not especially interested in Gothic churches.

Canterbury IS different from London, of course - but if there's only one opportunity to see English ecclesiatical architecture outsidce London, King's College chapel, Cambridge, would - for architecture - win over Canterbury every time. Historically trivial, of course, compared to Canterbury, York or Winchester cathedrals - or practically any major English church: most decent sized parish churches have seen more major historical events than King's. But architecturally remarkable.

Underhill

Well, I think that Canterbury Cathedral is quite different from Westminster Abbey. It's much larger, for starters, and has a fine undercroft. Just the history of the place is enough for me to spend hours in the cathedral, imagining the murder of Thomas Becket, the desecration of his shrine under Henry VIII...and much more. The cathedral also has very beautiful stained-glass windows, including one modern one that is marvelous.

Try to be there for evensong.

A shameless rip-off? That evaluation must be from people who don't quite understand how much it costs to maintain an ancient church's fabric.

igorek

Thanks a lot for your kind replies. We will probably go to Dover Castle only, even more so that we have to visit early to get a guided tour of the WWII tunnels.

Underhill suggested to go to Canterbury Cathedral during evensong; it is at 15:15 on Sundays, which is outside of the 12:30 - 14:30 window, does it mean we will have to pretend to be pilgrims ? May be then we can visit Diver first, and Canterbury on the way back...

Underhill

Anyone is welcome during church services, including evensong. Are tourists not pilgrims of the modern sort, after all?

Try to arrive early enough that you can have seats in the choir, if they are offered by the vergers.

igorek

It is hard to be in Canterbury at 15:15, or in 12:30-14:30 interval, and still have enogh time at Dover.

But they have something called "Evening Service" at 18:30 - would that work ?

a1139a

Have to agree with Underhill that Canterbury is indeed quite different from Westminster. I greatly prefer Canterbury. Morning prayer in the undercroft is wonderful, but you may need to be staying on the grounds to attend...not sure. And of course, if you're Anglican or Episcopalian, Canterbury has even more significance.

www.hereinfranklin.com

Underhill

Evening service = evensong, my favorite of the day.

Does anyone know when Canterbury Cathedral began limiting visiting hours?

Underhill

I've answered my own question by looking at the cathedral's web site. It's only on Sunday that visiting hours are limited--naturally, given the number of services.

ron

In this case, evening service does not equal evensong. As the cathedral website states clearly, choral evensong on Sunday is at 15:30. At 18:30 is the evening service, described as "Sermon and Compline". It does not appear to be a sung service.

Whether igor should attend, I have no idea. It will get him inside the church for a half hour or so, but there will be no opportunity to wander around. Perhaps it would depend upon his need to listen to a rousing(?) Anglican sermon.