St. Dunstan's Church (Canterbury)
St. Dunstan's Church is an Anglican church in Canterbury in the county of Kent in England , at the junction of London Road and Whitstable is Road. It is dedicated to Saint Dunstan (909–988). The district to the left of the River Stour is named after her. The parish has been part of other nearby parishes at various times; their story is therefore confusing and complicated. Since 2010, St. Dunstan has been united with other parishes in the inner city parishes in a new pastoral association under the name "City Center with St. Dunstan".
St. Dunstan's Church dates from the 11th century and is a listed building. It was restored by church architect Ewan Christian from 1878–80 . It is known as a place of pilgrimage through its association with Saints Thomas Becket and Thomas More .
history
Holy Dunstan
Dunstan was Archbishop of Canterbury from 960 to 978. He was canonized shortly after his death and quickly rose to become England's most popular saint, until Thomas Becket ousted him from this role 200 years later. Dunstan was buried in Canterbury Cathedral. His grave was destroyed by the Reformation.
Saint Thomas Becket
When Henry II went on a penitential pilgrimage in 1174 for the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket, he exchanged his clothes for a sackcloth robe in St. Dunstan's. From there he began his penance walk to Thomas Becket's grave in Canterbury Cathedral.
Saint Thomas More
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Thomas More 'daughter Margaret brought More' head, which was on display on London Bridge after his beheading , to safety and placed it in the family grave of her husband William Roper . The Roper family lived near what is now St Dunstan's Street in Canterbury. The remains of their home are marked by a memorial plaque at Roper Gate.
Nikolauskapelle
The family crypt of the Ropers lies under the Nikolauskapelle, which is to the right of the main altar in St. Dunstan. More recently, according to Anglican tradition, it has been sealed. Their location is marked by a large stone slab to the left of the chapel's altar. The St. Nicholas chapel is framed by three impressive stained glass windows: a window behind the altar shows the most important events and symbols from the life of St. Dunstan in many details. Another window commemorates Pope John Paul II's visit to Canterbury on May 29, 1982, during which he prayed together with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury at the site of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket. This window shows the coat of arms of the Pope and the Archdiocese of Canterbury. Memorial plaques in the Nikolauskapelle explain the authenticity of Thomas More's skull relic, the sealing of the tomb in which the relic lies, and the life of the saint. A prayer by Thomas More can also be seen here.
Bells
St. Dunstan's has six bells that hang as alternating chimes in the English style. The heaviest bell weighs around 675 kilograms. Due to the unusually narrow belfry, the bells hang in a two-tier frame.
The fifth bell of the peal was probably cast by William le Belyetere in 1325.
The bell was removed from the tower in 1935 so that a concrete support beam could be installed. The construction period spent the bells in the Whitechapel Bell Foundry , where they were refurbished until they were returned to their place in 1936.
Church bells are rung every Sunday morning and the St Dunstan's Society of Change Ringers rehearsals every Friday evening.
Individual evidence
- ^ The Church of St Dunstan's without the west gate [1241793] ( English ) In: National Heritage List for England . Historic England . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ↑ David Ross: St Dunstan . Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ^ David Ross: Henry II and Thomas a Becket . Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ^ The Head and Body of St. Thomas More . Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ↑ kent.lovesguide.com
Coordinates: 51 ° 17 ′ 1.2 " N , 1 ° 4 ′ 14.9" E