This is a view that the medieval pilgrims could never have had of The Cathedral. From many places around Canterbury, even at night, this great Church can been seen in its full glory.

There is currently a heated debate going on between The Church and Canterbury City Council as to who pays for the costs of this illumination. For a number of years The City Council have graciously donated half the costs of the lighting to The Dean and Chapter. The Council are now saying that since The Dean and Chapter now charges a fee to "out of town" visitors to the Cathedral, then they now have sufficient funds to pay for their own lighting. The Dean and Chapter counter this argument by stating that to a large degree, it is in the interest in the Cathedral that brings so many tourists into Canterbury and even though a fee is being charged they are still "hard-pressed" to keep up financially with the on-going repairs and maintenance.

I rather think that both sides have a point but certainly if The Cathedral were not there, Canterbury would be little more than an interesting old market town.

Canterbury Cathedral at Christmas
© P.E. Blanche 1998

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Last updated: November 2, 1998