Dover and Canterbury

There was no missing the white cliffs as we pulled into the harbor at Dover. They rose around us as we sat on the ship and continued as we boarded a motorcoach for our ride to Canterbury. In the last picture, high over the cliffs, the majestic Dover Castle of Henry II sits, perched there in its splendor since the 12th century. From this vantage point it has stood as the protector of the gateway to England for centuries.
At the top is Canterbury Cathedral home of the Church of England since the time of Henry VIII. It was in this church's chamber room that four knights, taking literally the cry of Henry II "won't someone rid me of this worrisome archbishop," murdered Thomas Becket. The sculpture pictured hangs above the exact spot where the murder took place. The lighting completes the depiction of the four swords.
We arrived at 10:30 Sunday morning and were fortunate to be able to attend the 11 am service which was sung by the boy's choir. It was moving and had an intimacy unexpected in a church of this size.
After the service was over we took pictures of the interior which had an elegant beauty about it. We felt blessed to have arrived in time to to share in this wonderful experience. In our own way we had come centuries later and walked the way of the pilgrims "the holy blissful martyr for to seek."