St Augustine's Abbey Tourism

St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury was once a prominent Benedictine monastery and is now an important historical site. Founded by St. Augustine in 598 AD after he arrived on a mission to convert the Anglo-Saxons, it signified the rebirth of Christianity in southern England. The Abbey was a central religious institution until its dissolution by King Henry VIII in 1538 during the English Reformation. Now in ruins, the site is managed by English Heritage and exhibits the remains of the abbey church and gravesites, including what is believed to be the tomb of St. Augustine. The site provides an invaluable insight into the Early Medieval period of English history and was part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site. Visitors can explore the ruins, the museum displaying artifacts found during excavations, and the interactive audio tour that guides through the abbey's tumultuous past, detailing its development, significance, and eventual decline.