When William I and his army arrived in Canterbury they found a powerful and long-established ecclesiastical centre, whose traditions and culture differed in many respects from those of Normandy. The Conquest brought dramatic change: Archbishop Stigand was deprived in 1070 to be replaced by the Norman abbot Lanfranc; Canterbury Cathedral itself was burnt down in 1067 and rebuilt in a Norman style. But in the following years Canterbury's position in the English church was preserved and enhanced and Norman churchmen came to appreciate more fully the importance of their English inheritance. These original essays provide a reassessment of this subject reflecting modern interests and research. They discuss the political setting of Canterbury and its churches, both locally and nationally, the aims and achievements of its leaders, the cults of its saints and many aspects of its artistic achievement. Together they bring into focus what is a crucial test case for the impact of the Norman Conquest on English politics, society and culture.

Eight specialists paint a portrait of one of the most brilliant centers of Christian culture. They describe the Abbey and its role in the making of the English identity, and chart the Abbey's religious, architectural, artistic and intellectual achievements. The illustrations include reconstructions, plans and photographs.