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HOW IT RATES This ancient city in eastern Kent has played a significant part in the religious, royal and literary history of England. St Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, established his seat in Canterbury in AD597. The slaying of St Thomas à Becket took place at the cathedral; the event inspired T.S.Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is one of the earliest books in the English language, and the city was also the birthplace of the Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe. It is now a vibrant university city with a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful medieval architectural setting.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS The city is strong on churches: Canterbury Cathedral is one of the world's finest examples of Gothic architecture and St Martin's Church is considered to be the oldest church in Britain. After the martyrdom of Becket under King Henry II in 1173 the church on this site became one of Europe's most important pilgrimage destinations. The medieval city walls and one gate remain, which is remarkable as the place was heavily bombed during the Second World War.

WHAT'S NEW Kingsbrook Park is a new development of 184 homes next to the River Stour. Prices start at £175,000 (Contact: 01227 477 100, www.kingsbrookpark.co.uk ). Mercery Court is a project of eight flats, all of which have balconies or terraces, in a Gothic Grade II listed building. Prices range from £200,000 to £350,000 (contact DTZ on 020-7408 7509).

QUALITY OF LIFE Tip top. The city is bursting with cultural events, with a constant flow of students and tourists bringing a youthful and energetic tempo that contrasts with the city's historic status.

TRAVEL Southeastern Railway plans a new high-speed commuter train service that will link to the new Eurostar route in Ashford; this will bring the journey time into London down to one hour. This will be in place from 2010 and will serve Canterbury West station. The drive to London takes less than two hours via the M20 and the M25.

SMARTEST STREETS St Stephen's is the best address with its substantial million-pound houses. Whitstable Road and Ethelbert Road are also extremely pleasant with prices around £750,000. St Augustine's has popular, detached 1930s houses and St Dunstan's, in the centre, has pretty townhouses.

BEST RESTAURANTS The Goods Shed, on Station Road West, offers a fun and rather unusual dining experience in a Victorian railway shed; dining takes place next to farmers' market stalls, from which the produce is taken for the no-fuss British cooking.

TOP NIGHTLIFE The Thomas Becket is a charming, traditional pub, as are Simple Simons and the Cherry Tree. Alberrys Wine Bar and Loft are the places to head to after closing time. The Marlowe Theatre has some excellent performances and the Gulbenkian Theatre is great for less formal, but still serious, shows.

EDUCATION The Kings School is excellent for both day and boarding. The city has two universities: Canterbury Christ Church and the University of Kent.

WORKING LIFE Fourteen per cent of local jobs are in wholesale and retail, 14 per cent are in health and social work and 13 per cent are in education.

UPSIDE At the Roman Museum on Butchery Lane, you can touch some of the exhibits. The Canterbury Tales is a 3-D puppet version of Chaucer's classic. For some city centre serenity you can't beat the Greyfriars Chapel and its garden.

DOWNSIDE The place is packed with tourists in the summer and Easter holidays, and can be busy all year round. The new high-speed rail link could bring a spate of new building projects. Whitefriars is a shopping centre comparable with Bluewater in Kent, which some may see as a downside.

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