Canterbury Cathedral was originally founded in 597, and the present cathedral building was largely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077.

When Was Canterbury Cathedral Built?

Quick Scoop

If you are asking “when was Canterbury Cathedral built” , there are really two key dates to know:

  • 597 – The original cathedral at Canterbury was founded by St Augustine, sent from Rome to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
  • 1070–1077 – After earlier buildings were damaged and a fire in 1067, Archbishop Lanfranc rebuilt the cathedral almost from scratch in the Norman style; this is the main “start date” of the current structure.

So, in a sentence:

Canterbury Cathedral was founded in 597, but the building you see today began with a major Norman rebuild between 1070 and 1077.

Mini Timeline (Short and Handy)

Here is a brief walk through the key construction phases:

597 – Augustine founds the first cathedral at Canterbury, establishing the archbishop’s seat.[6][1][3] 1067 – A fire severely damages the earlier cathedral.[9] 1070–1077 – Archbishop Lanfranc rebuilds the cathedral in the Norman Romanesque style.[7][1][3][5][9] 1174–1184 – After another fire, the quire and eastern end are rebuilt in Gothic style; Trinity and Corona Chapels are added for pilgrims to Thomas Becket’s shrine.[1][3][5][7] 1377–1405 – The Norman nave is demolished and rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style, giving much of the modern interior its look.[10][3][5][7][1] Up to 1834 – Various later works and “last major alterations” complete the overall form.[3]

Fast Facts in One Table

Below is a compact HTML table (as requested) to keep the key dates straight:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Key question</th>
      <th>Short answer</th>
      <th>Details</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Original founding date</td>
      <td>597</td>
      <td>St Augustine established the first cathedral at Canterbury as his seat as Archbishop. [web:1][web:3][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>When the “current” cathedral was built</td>
      <td>1070–1077</td>
      <td>Archbishop Lanfranc rebuilt the cathedral almost entirely in the Norman style after a fire and earlier damage. [web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Major Gothic rebuilding of east end</td>
      <td>1174–1184</td>
      <td>Quire, eastern crypt, Trinity Chapel, and Corona Chapel largely rebuilt in Gothic style following a fire in 1174. [web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Nave as seen today</td>
      <td>1377–1405</td>
      <td>Norman nave demolished and rebuilt in Perpendicular Gothic, giving the cathedral much of its current interior look. [web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Last major alteration</td>
      <td>1834</td>
      <td>Recorded as the completion of the last major building phase of the cathedral structure. [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Why People Ask This (And Why It’s Tricky)

  • If you want the very first origin , the answer is 597 (foundation by Augustine).
  • If you mean “the main medieval building we see today” , historians usually point to Lanfranc’s rebuild, 1070–1077 , then note later Gothic enlargements.
  • Because the cathedral has been rebuilt and extended over centuries , different guides emphasize different “birth dates” depending on whether they focus on the institution, the Norman structure, or the later Gothic architecture.

Little Story Element

Imagine arriving in Canterbury in the late 11th century: the ruins of an older, fire-damaged Anglo-Saxon church still show through the dust, while stonemasons under Archbishop Lanfranc lay out a bold new Norman basilica between 1070 and 1077.

Over the next centuries, each generation reshapes the building—after the 1174 fire, Gothic arches soar above the quire to welcome pilgrims to Thomas Becket’s shrine, and by 1405 the new nave rises in the sharp, vertical Perpendicular style that still frames the view when you step inside today.

Meta description (SEO-style):
Canterbury Cathedral was founded in 597, with the present building largely begun in a major Norman rebuild between 1070 and 1077 and expanded in Gothic phases through the Middle Ages.

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