St. Peter’s Church, Canterbury

Tucked just off its namesake street and partially obscured by neighboring houses, Saint Peter’s Church offers a quiet yet remarkable glimpse into the layered religious history of the city. Built between the 14th and 15th centuries on the site of a former Roman-era Christian chapel, the church incorporates reused Roman bricks, Saxon tiles, and medieval stonework into its flint and rubble-stone exterior. Its bell tower, the oldest surviving part of the structure, dates to the early 12th century and still holds ancient bells, cornerstones, and visible fragments of Roman tile. The irregular layout of the church reflects the many centuries of construction and adaptation that followed.

Inside, visitors can trace nearly 900 years of worship through a rich array of architectural details and religious objects. The Lady Chapel in the north aisle and the small Saint John’s chapel in the south-featuring a stained-glass window by Ninian Comper-highlight the evolving spiritual life of the church. Panels from the former Saint Alphege Church, now kept here, link Saint Peter’s to its Anglican neighbor, while memorials to French Huguenot refugees recall Canterbury’s long tradition of sheltering persecuted communities.

Though it narrowly escaped demolition in 1926, Saint Peter’s was eventually restored and reopened in the mid-20th century. Today, it remains one of only two Anglican churches still in use within Canterbury’s medieval city walls. Its modest congregation includes both long-time Anglicans and newer Romanian Orthodox worshippers, who have introduced their icons and devotional traditions to the space. The church’s continued survival and adaptation reflect Canterbury’s enduring religious diversity and historical depth, offering visitors a quiet, contemplative counterpoint to the more prominent Cathedral nearby.