The city B&B with many a tale to tell

From Charles Dickens to the ‘Canterbury Quadrant’, the House of Agnes has a fascinating history...

The House of Agnes in St Dunstan’s Street is one of Canterbury’s most iconic buildings. The B&B we see today dates back to the 16th century - one of many built just outside the Westgate to capitalise on the trade generated by visitors to the city. Those who did not arrive before the nightly curfew would have stayed in St Dunstan’s overnight. In the late 17th century the firstfloor bay windows with round-headed centres were added and in the 18th century two ground-floor bay windows. But there is thought to have been some sort of travellers inn on the site as far back as the 13th century. Going back even further, it was once occupied by a Roman pottery kiln. Recently a Roman skeleton with pots and artefacts alongside him was discovered during preparation work for the B&B’S stable annex.

It is said to take its name from the character Agnes Wickfield in Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield. Several passages in the book describe aspects of both the exterior and interior of the building. In 1934, famous MGM producer David O. Selznick and director George Cukor - who also worked together on Gone With The Wind - visited the House of Agnes to be sure of originality when filming the first Hollywood movie of the book.

The eyes of the world turned on the House of Agnes once again in 2005 when an archeological investigation associated with renovations unearthed a late 14th century navigational instrument called an astrolabe. It became known as the ‘Canterbury

Quadrant’ and is now on display at the British Museum in London, one of only eight in the world and the only one to be definitely made in England. Information and pictures used with kind permission of the House of Agnes and canterbury-archaeology.org.uk.

The House of Agnes can be seen in this picture of the first-ever train to Canterbury crossing St Dunstan’s in 1846

Producer David O. Selznick and director George Cukor outside the House of Agnes during filming of MGM’S David Copperfield in 1934

The 16th century building in St Dunstan’s Street - a travellers inn was on the site as far back as the 13th century

Picture: houseofagnes.co.uk A 1927 engraving with the House of Agnes on the right

The astrolabe discovered in 2005