4 Day - Cathedral Tour of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, Battlefield Abbey Ruins & Chichester Cathedral

This tour is designed so that a pre/post London extension can be added to the tour.  Alternatively the tours can be combined to make a longer tour.  

Day One - St Martin's - St Augustine's Abbey - Canterbury
Today enjoy a visit to St Martin's, the oldest church in England still in use. It is a fascinating building with an important history - the starting point of the revival of Christianity in England in 597 AD by Saint Augustine. This will be followed by a visit to St Augustine's Abbey, marking the rebirth of Christianity in Southern England and was founded in AD 597 by St Augustine. Originally created as a burial place for the Anglo-Saxon Kings of Kent, it is part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site, along with the Cathedral and St Martin's Church. Continue to Canterbury to check-in at your hotel for the next 2 nights.

Day Two - Canterbury Cathedral - Reculver Ruins - Canterbury
Morning visit to Canterbury Cathedral, which since the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in the Cathedral in 1170, has attracted thousands of pilgrims. Enjoy some free time to explore Canterbury before enjoying a late afternoon visit to Reculver Ruins, an imposing landmark, the twin 12th-century towers of the ruined church stand amid the remains of an important Roman 'Saxon Shore' fort and a Saxon Monastery. Return to Canterbury for overnight.

Day Three - Dover Castle - Hastings Battlefield & Abbey Ruins - Chichester
Depart Canterbury for a morning visit to Dover Castle, guardian of the 'Gateway to England', this giant of a castle displays a solid strength and determination that has obviously carried it through many troubled times. Proudly standing atop the White Cliffs, overlooking this busy port, Dover Castle has withstood the test of time remarkably well throughout its long and eventful history. Dover Castle, as it stands today, dates from the rebuilding work during Henry II's reign, but the site has been of vital importance since the Iron Age. The first castle at Dover was probably an Anglo-Saxon fortress and, on the arrival of William the Conqueror, the existing fortifications were improved with the building of an earthwork castle. This Norman 'motte' (mound) which supported the castle is today known as 'Castle Hill'. Continue you journey to Hastings for a visit to the battlefield and abbey ruins. On 14th October 1066 an army of invading Normans defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex and an exhibition using film, computer technology and interactive exhibits bring to life this bloodiest of conflicts. It will include an audio tour of the 100-acre battlefield and an opportunity to stand on the very spot where King Harold was slain and explore the ruins of the atmospheric abbey, built by William the Conquer to commemorate the thousands who died. Check-in at your hotel in Chichester for the next 2 nights.

Day Four - Fishbourne Roman Palace - Bosham - Chichester Cathedral - Chichester
Today enjoy a morning visit to Fishbourne Roman Palace, which was discovered by accident during the digging of a water main trench in 1960. The discovery led to nine seasons of excavations that showed the site had developed from a military base at the time of the Roman invasion in AD43 to a sumptuous Palace by the end of the first century. Continue to the village of Bosham for some free time for exploring before a visit to Chichester Cathedral, famous for its modern art which was commissioned mainly during the late 20th century. These include a window by Marc Chagall, a tapestry by John Piper and a painting by Graham Sutherland. However the art in the Cathedral is not all modern it also contains some wonderful early objects including the 12th century Lazarus Reliefs and the Lambert Barnard paintings. One of the delights of the building is the successful fusion of the ancient and the modern.