History of the Canterbury Cross

INTRODUCTION

The following information about the Canterbury Cross is from a site that was referred to us by Joe G. The site is called Canterbury Pewter and permission to use the photo and the information was given to us by Tom Selby. If you would like to visit Mr. Selby's website, the address is as follows: http://www.cantweb.co.uk/business/pewter/index.html

The original Canterbury Cross, dating from circa 850 AD, was excavated in 1867 in St. George's Street in Canterbury, England. It was subsequently bequeathed to the Canterbury Heritage Museum by Dr. H. Wacher.

The Canterbury Cross has acquired widespread fame as a symbol of Canterbury Cathedral, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Cast originally in bronze, the cross incorporated a number of sophisticated techniques for that day. The decoration was incised into the surface with applied silver triangles engraved and filled with mellow enamel to give subtle contrasts in color.

Canterbury Cathedral presents to the world a picture of past faith and present hope. In the Middle Ages, thousands of pilgrims came to Canterbury... more than to any other place in the English-speaking world for inspiration and renewal. And, for those who know her grandeur... that same sense of draw is there today.

From Chaucer's pilgrims they have come, for 900 years...

'.. from every shires end of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, the holy blisful martyr for to seke, that hem hath holpen, when that they were seke.'