Ethelbert & Bertha

The Canterbury Commemoration Society gifted statues of King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha to the City of Canterbury in May 2006. The statues were the first project which the Society undertook.

They stand in Lady Wootton’s Green. The King meets his Queen as she walks home from worshipping in St Martin’s church. He imparts the news in May 597 of the landing in Thanet of the emissary of the Pope, Augustine.

Steve Melton sculpted the bronze statues. He caught the historic moment of encounter and produced two lively figures, symbolic of their regal status and in the authentic dress of their time.

There was widespread support for the project. Many warmed to the appeal to celebrate how what happened in Canterbury over 1400 years ago so affected the history of the City, England and, indeed, Europe.