Canterbury’s medieval town gate saved

Canterbury is famous for its beautiful cathedral, but this historic city has lots of other attractions. The old medieval entrance into town called Westgate Towers is the local favorite. Sadly, lack of funding and a dwindling number of visitors to the Westgate Towers Museum made it look like it was going to be shut down.

Local businessman Charles Lambie has stepped in and leased the towers. He’s donated £250,000 ($369,000) to the city council to keep it afloat and plans improvements to the museum to make it more attractive to visitors.

If you’re visiting Canterbury you might want to stay overnight rather than do the traditional day trip from London. Besides the cathedral, there’s an early medieval abbey, a Norman castle, the remains of a Roman house, and one of the best curry joints in England.

You won’t want to miss the Westgate Towers either. More than six hundred years old, it’s the largest medieval gateway in the UK and offers a fine view of the town. The museum has displays of weapons and armor and tells the story of the city’s medieval defenses.

Photo courtesy Necrothesp via Wikimedia Commons.