The C14th flint tower and W porch of St Martin's C5th/6th church, seen from the graveyard on St Martin's Hill, Longport, Canterbury, Kent.


The C14th flint tower and west porch of St Martin's Church, seen from the graveyard at the foot of St Martin's Hill, Longport, Canterbury. Originally built as a Roman Christian church c 400AD, the small chancel was repaired for the use of Princess Bertha and her chaplain Bishop Liudhard who arrived from Paris c 562AD. The daughter of Frankish King Charibert, Bertha married pagan Anglo-Saxon King Ethelbert c 580AD. The whole church was repaired by St Augustine who arrived in Kent in 597AD along with 40 companions to convert the English to Christianity. Roman, Saxon and Frankish work survive in the fabric of the building, described as "....the oldest parish church in England that has been in continuous use since the sixth "


Size: 4300px × 5668px
Location: St Martin's Church, Longport, Canterbury, Kent, England, UK
Photo credit: © Mick Sharp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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