The oldest parish church in the English-speaking world still in continuous use, St Martin's was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent before St Augustine arrived in 597 AD. Built partly from re-used Roman brick, it predates the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons and stands as a tangible link to the very origins of English Christianity. Together with the Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey it completes the Canterbury UNESCO World Heritage Site at the head of the Via Francigena.
Highlights
- Oldest parish church in the English-speaking world still in continuous use
- Queen Bertha's private chapel before Augustine's arrival in 597
- Traditional site of King Aethelberht's baptism as first Christian Anglo-Saxon king
- Courses of re-used Roman brick visible in the ancient chancel walls
- Volunteer stewards who open the church and share its story
At a glance
| Period | Roman / Anglo-Saxon (4th–6th century) |
|---|---|
| Stage | 1 — Canterbury to Shepherdswell |
Take care
- Uneven paths through the sloping old churchyard
- Ordinary care on the quiet approach lanes
History
The chancel's core is thought to have begun as a Roman building, possibly a mortuary chapel, before AD 400, and King Æthelberht restored it for Queen Bertha's use around 580. The nave was extended in the Anglo-Saxon centuries using Caen stone and re-used Roman brick, and the west tower was added in the 14th century. A Victorian restoration stripped the plaster to reveal the ancient fabric, and in 1988 the church was inscribed with the Cathedral and Abbey as a World Heritage Site.
Myth & legend
Tradition holds that it was inside St Martin's that King Æthelberht of Kent was baptised, becoming the first Christian king of the Anglo-Saxons and opening England to the new faith.
Geology
St Martin's fabric shows what early builders could win from the east Kent ground: courses of Roman brick made from local brickearth and clay, set among rough flint and blocks of chalk. The flint began as silica concentrated in seams within the chalk, itself the compacted ooze of countless microscopic algal plates settling on a Late Cretaceous sea floor.
Wildlife & nature
The churchyard is a pocket of old, lightly managed grassland, with snowdrops and primroses in February and March, cow parsley and ox-eye daisy in June, and yew, lime and horse chestnut giving cover to robins, wrens and tawny owls. Pipistrelle bats work the tree line at dusk, and the Great Stour valley below holds kingfishers and grey wagtails.
The view
A small flint-and-brick church in a sloping churchyard of yews and old headstones, with courses of re-used Roman brick in its walls and the cathedral rising on the skyline beyond.
Photography
Zoom in on the Roman brick courses in the chancel wall; from the upper churchyard you can frame Bell Harry Tower above the rooftops — best in low afternoon light.
When to visit
Spring blossom and autumn colour flatter the churchyard; the little interior is rarely crowded in any season, and opening relies on volunteers, so summer visits stand the best chance.
Getting there
About ten minutes on foot from the cathedral via North Holmes Road on the eastern edge of the city; walkers pass close by when leaving Canterbury, and both stations are within walking distance.
Where to stay
Stay in central Canterbury, where guesthouses, B&Bs and hotels are minutes away; there is nothing at the church itself, and most pilgrims visit before beginning their first full stage.
Food & water
No refill point at the church, so carry water; cafes and shops back along the main roads towards the city centre are the nearest options for a drink.
Safety
Quiet lanes and an old churchyard with uneven paths — ordinary care. In an emergency dial 999 or 112; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Accessibility
The churchyard rises on a slope with uneven paths, and the ancient interior is small and tight; visitors with limited mobility should take the approach slowly and expect some steps.
Visitor tips
Volunteer stewards often open the church and gladly share its story — ask about Queen Bertha and the Roman brickwork; combine it with the abbey and cathedral to complete Canterbury's UNESCO trio.
The guide, in full
The written guide to this site.
A little further east, up a quiet lane on the edge of the city, stands a church that ought to be far more famous than it is. St Martin's is a modest building of flint and brick in a sloping churchyard of yews and leaning headstones, and it is the oldest parish church in the English-speaking world still in continuous use. People have gathered to pray here without a break since before the English were Christian at all. Go first to the chancel, the low eastern end, and read the wall rather than the church. Among the rough flint you will see slim courses of red brick, and that brick is Roman, fired from the brickearth and clay of east Kent. Scholars believe the core of this chancel began as a Roman building, perhaps a small mortuary chapel, standing here before the year four hundred, when Canterbury was still Durovernum. Now meet the woman who made it matter. Bertha was a Frankish princess, a Christian raised in Gaul, who married the pagan King Aethelberht of Kent on the condition that she might keep her faith and bring her own chaplain with her. Around the year five hundred and eighty the king had this old ruin repaired for her use, and here, in a borrowed Roman shell on a hillside above the Stour, she worshipped quietly year after year. When Augustine's mission arrived in five hundred and ninety-seven this was the church they were given, the base from which they preached, and tradition holds that it was within these walls that Aethelberht himself was baptised, becoming the first Christian king of the Anglo-Saxons and opening England to the new faith. Everything that followed, the cathedral, the abbey and the pilgrim road under your boots, grew from that decision made in this small room. The building went on growing quietly. In the Anglo-Saxon centuries the nave was extended with creamy Caen stone and yet more re-used Roman brick, and the west tower was added in the thirteen hundreds. Victorian restorers stripped away the plaster to reveal the patchwork fabric you can read today, and in nineteen eighty-eight the church was inscribed alongside the cathedral and the abbey as a single World Heritage Site. Volunteer stewards often keep the door open and are delighted to talk about Bertha and the brickwork, so do ask. Outside, the churchyard is a pocket of old, lightly managed grassland and worth a slow circuit. Snowdrops and primroses come in February and March, cow parsley and ox-eye daisies froth up in June, and the yew, lime and horse chestnut give cover to robins, wrens and tawny owls. At dusk pipistrelle bats work the tree line, and down in the Great Stour valley below you may catch a kingfisher or a grey wagtail flicking along the water. From the upper part of the churchyard, look back west over the rooftops. Bell Harry Tower stands clear on the skyline with the abbey ruins between it and you, and the whole story of English Christianity lies in that single glance, from a queen's private chapel to a cathedral of kings. Then turn the other way, towards the North Downs and the sea. Fourteen centuries of travellers have set out from this hill. Fall in with them, and walk well.
Common questions
How old is St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
St Martin's Church, Canterbury dates from the Roman / Anglo-Saxon (4th–6th century) period.
How do I get to St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
About ten minutes on foot from the cathedral via North Holmes Road on the eastern edge of the city; walkers pass close by when leaving Canterbury, and both stations are within walking distance.
Is St Martin's Church, Canterbury accessible?
The churchyard rises on a slope with uneven paths, and the ancient interior is small and tight; visitors with limited mobility should take the approach slowly and expect some steps.
When is the best time to visit St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
Spring blossom and autumn colour flatter the churchyard; the little interior is rarely crowded in any season, and opening relies on volunteers, so summer visits stand the best chance.
Is there food and water at St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
No refill point at the church, so carry water; cafes and shops back along the main roads towards the city centre are the nearest options for a drink.
Where can I stay near St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
Stay in central Canterbury, where guesthouses, B&Bs and hotels are minutes away; there is nothing at the church itself, and most pilgrims visit before beginning their first full stage.
What should I know before visiting St Martin's Church, Canterbury?
Volunteer stewards often open the church and gladly share its story — ask about Queen Bertha and the Roman brickwork; combine it with the abbey and cathedral to complete Canterbury's UNESCO trio.
Is St Martin's Church, Canterbury safe to visit?
Quiet lanes and an old churchyard with uneven paths — ordinary care. In an emergency dial 999 or 112; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Nearby on the route
Plan the visit
Browse every heritage site on the culture & history index, see where it falls on the route, or get the free Via Francigena app for offline maps, GPS and audio guides.