Your Visit
Where does the Festival take place?
The beautiful Greyfriars Franciscan Garden is home to the majority of our Festival Events. Performances do however spill out onto the streets, into other gardens, coffeehouses and even onto punts on the river…
But where is this GreyFriars Franciscan Garden?
Good question! Locals call it Canterbury’s Secret Garden and for a very good reason - its is hard to find. In fact many people who have lived in Canterbury all their lives have yet to discover this great little secret.
Turn into Stour Street from the High Street and walk approximately 100 yards until you reach Greyfriars Lodge B&B and beside it an archway with big black doors. You would be forgiven for mistaking the entrance for a private driveway. Venture through the archway, along the bumpy track and across two bridges straddling the river stour (look out for the eels as you cross), and will find yourself in a beautiful tranquil garden which although only a few hundred yards, feels like 100 miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The Franciscan Garden, Greyfriars, Canterbury, Kent, ct1 2NR, United Kingdom
Nestled between the ancient walls surrounding the Greyfriars Franciscan Garden is a beautiful Yurt that offers an intimate but surprisingly spacious venue for many of our events.
bh This year for the first time we will also be using a large traditional canvas marquee. Its stunning lining promises to make this an astonishingly beautiful space for our larger audiences and we hope this will mean we have to turn less of you away from our more popular events.
Straddled across the river sits the oldest Franciscan Chapel in England. The monks, who live in the large house behind the gardens and hold services on a regular basis in the chapel, have kindly allowed us not only to use the gardens but also to hold events in the chapel itself.
Getting here
By Foot
The Greyfriars Franciscan Garden is situated at the heart of Canterbury City Centre. Stour Street street is a little road off the High Street (between Abode (No. 30-33 Canterbury High Street) and Chimichanga’s Mexican Restaurant. After 80m you will see Greyfriars Lodge B&B on your right and beside it an archway with two large black doors. Go through the archway, along the bumpy path, across two bridges and you will find yourself in the gardens.
By Train
Both Canterbury West Station and Canterbury East Station are approximately 10 mins walk from Greyfriars Franciscan Gardens.
For direction from Canterbury West click HERE
For Direction from Canterbury East click HERE
For detailed information about your journey and the latest service updates, please visit Traveline or South Eastern Trains.
Car Parking
The nearest car parks are Rosemary Lane open air and Castle Street multi-storey. Both are approximately 5 minutes walk.
Rosemary Lane open air car park, CT1 2PN | £1.10 per hour
Castle Street multi-storey, CT1 2QD | £1.10 per hour
Both car parks are close to Stour Street. Walk straight along Stour Street (approx 330m) until you reach Greyfriars Lodge on your left. Go through the archway just before Greyfriars Lodge, follow the bumpy pathway, across two bridges and you will find yourself in the gardens.
Accessibility
The Greyfriars Garden is at the end of quite a bumpy pathway but is accessible to wheelchair users. If you need any help negotiating the bumps or if any of the neighbours cars are in the way please let one of the festival team know and we will help.
The Yurt and the Marquee are both accessible to wheelchair users although a small wooden slat across the doorway of the yurt does need to be negotiated. One of the festival team will always be there to help.
The Chapel is an ancient building with many steps and is therefore unfortunately not fully accessible.
Most of the events around the town take place on the streets or in coffeehouses which are accessible.
For any other accessibility questions or needs please do contact us on [email protected]
Public Loos
There are no public loos within the Greyfriars Gardens but a kind neighbour allows us to use their outdoor loo for the festival period. Please ask a member of the festival team for directions. This loo is not suitable for nappy changing but we provide wipes and a changing mat in our childrens’ tent.
