EXPERIENCES IN ENGLAND: CANTERBURY

Since my last letter, I have spent several days traveling and exploring two sections of England which include part of the south and southwest as well as my own East Anglia. For a small island no bigger than Georgia, Great Britain encompasses a surprising variety of geographical regions. There are the soft, rolling hills of the south and west that flow into the flat, fertile plains of East Anglia fringed by long, broad beaches.

As I drove through the countryside, I remembered reading that three-quarters of Britain's land is used for agriculture. And as I left East Anglia, I noticed that the sugar beets that are grown for British sugar were almost all harvested from the fields. It surprised me to see how large there beets were -- about the size of a pineapple -- and that they were white. The sugar beet is a major crop here and could be seen lying in huge heaps in the fields ready to be transported to the beet factories such as the one in Bury St. Edmunds. The main commercial crops consist of wheat, barley, sugar beets and potatoes. Many farmers had already planted their winter wheat, and the field were a vivid green, giving the landscape an unforgettable beauty and a true feast for the eye.

The countryside is dotted with farms and charming villages, with picturesque cottages and well-tended gardens -- a British passion. A typical village is built around an ancient church and a small, friendly pub. As we drove along, we wanted to stop at each place, but we knew that would be impossible if we wanted to reach our list of important landmark sites in six days.

Our first stop was Dover Castle, a medieval castle positioned on top of the high, white cliffs of Dover overlooking the beautiful English Channel. The castle was built for defense by Henry II in 1198 and has always been an important defense post in England. The castle was used in World War II as a command post for the Dunkirk evacuation. A fascinating exhibit at the castle is in tunnels in the cliffs and under the castle. Originally the tunnels were dug by prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars. The British dug more tunnels, and they became known as Churchill's War Rooms during World War II. We walked through all of the tunnels that were on the tour and heard brief lectures complete with sound effects. The rooms in the tunnels have been restored to show how the rooms looked and were used during the war. This experience was moving and very educational, and I would recommend it to anyone who has a trip planned to England.

After the tour, we had a picnic lunch out on the beautiful grounds overlooking the harbor. As we sat in the warm sun eating cheese, bread and fruit, we watched ships coming in and out of this important port taking passengers across to France. The sea gulls circling against the vivid blue sky were quite a sight and most relaxing.

Our next stop would be Canterbury with the famous Canterbury Cathedral, site of the shrine of the martyred Thomas a Becket, who was murdered in 1170. Canterbury Cathedral remains one of the most important cathedrals in England. The town and cathedral are rich in historical significance and are most interesting and impressive. The Canterbury Cathedral has been enlarged and rebuilt many times down through the centuries and, as a result, embraces examples of all styles of medieval architecture, which I have always found fascinating. The cathedral is amazing in its varied sections, with dazzling stained-glass windows and stone steps that are time-worn from the many religious pilgrims who have made their journey to worship there. Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" speaks of one such pilgrimage and has been required reading for countless numbers of educated people throughout the world. The night was spent in a bed and breakfast, and the next morning we enjoyed our first traditional full English breakfast, which I learned consists of eggs, bacon, sausage, stewed tomatoes, toast and coffee or tea.

Our next destination would be Leeds Castle just outside Maidstone in Kent. I read as we approached the castle that Henry VIII loved Leeds Castle and visited it often, escaping from the plague in London during his reign. The castle is surrounded by a lake and is often considered to be the most beautiful castle in England. There is a beautiful golf course that is open to the public. The fairways were wide open and inviting. Leeds Castle was begun in the 12th century and has been continuously inhabited since. Its present appearance is a result of centuries of rebuilding and extensions, the most recent in the 1930s. Leeds has royal connections going back to 1278 when it was given to Edward I by a courtier seeking a favor.

England is a small country compared to the United States, but everywhere you look there is a tremendous amount of history to absorb. There are often hundreds of years of civilization represented in each site visited, making it difficult to take it all in and even more difficult to effectively share in a letter.

Cheerio from jolly old England. Everyone over here says "cheers" or "cheerio" when they bid you goodbye. I think it is a delightful and uplifting way to bid farewell -- really meaning "see you later, friend."

Judith Williams-Johnson and husband Dr. George Johnson are on an extended stay in England. This is another in a series of reports about their experiences.