The Work of Art
Canterbury Cathedral has a long history of passing hands. It was given to St. Augustine in 597 AD, having already been a place of worship during the Roman occupation. The Original building was burnt down in 1067 and rebuilt in Romanesque style. Queen Bertha’s statue was built into this building to honor her for bringing Christianity to Kent and giving the church to St. Augustine. The crown on this great stone statue’s head shows that she is indeed the queen and she is there for everyone to remember her.
The Queen
Queen Bertha was the daughter of the King of the Franks. She married King Ethelbert who became King of Kent in 560 A.D. Queen Bertha was already Cristian and so she brought Cristianity to Kent with her, especially when her husband was baptised by St. Augustine in 597.
St. Augustine came as a missionary to Kent in 597, sent by Pope Gregory the Great. When he arrived he was given Canterbury Cathedral by King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha. They never forced their subjects to accept Cristianity, but, after Ethelbert's baptism, many did. Because of their wonderful gift to St. Augustine, both the King and Queen's statues are built into Canterbury Cathedral.
