St Augustine's Abbey
On Gingerguide's self-guided Canterbury audio tour, St Augustine's Abbey is a stop worth about ~60 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type ruins
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Canterbury Canterbury guide
About St Augustine's Abbey
The ruined Benedictine abbey founded by St Augustine around 597, burial place of the Kentish kings and first archbishops, dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538 and now a quiet World Heritage field.
St Augustine's Abbey, just outside Canterbury's walls, was founded by St Augustine shortly after his arrival in 597 (traditionally dated 598), on land given by King Aethelberht of Kent. A Benedictine monastery originally dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, it was the burial place of the early Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent and of the first archbishops of Canterbury, including Augustine himself, and became one of the most important monastic houses in medieval England.
It was dissolved on 30 July 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, ending more than 940 years of monastic life, after which the buildings were largely stripped and left to ruin. The surviving ruins are now cared for by English Heritage. With Canterbury Cathedral and St Martin's Church, the abbey forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1988.
Did you know? St Augustine's was founded around 597, at the very start of English Christianity, and for centuries was the burial place of the Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent and the first archbishops of Canterbury, Augustine among them.
How much time do you need at St Augustine's Abbey?
Around ~60 min works well for St Augustine's Abbey — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at St Augustine's Abbey?
Yes — St Augustine's Abbey made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Canterbury. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Canterbury
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about St Augustine's Abbey and read more:
Day 2 of the Canterbury in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of St Augustine's Abbey
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