This film is part of Free
Cathedral City (1949)
Beautifully-filmed Canterbury travelogue set to sublime choral soundtrack.
Overview
A beautifully-shot portrait of Canterbury centring on the cathedral. It's a sometimes stodgy history lesson that rises to the sublime as the didactic commentary gives way to visual passages set to the rich sound of the cathedral choir. Voiceover and visuals alike constantly invoke the spiritual presence of history in the present though references to God are few and far between... Very Anglican!
Young director Don Chaffey went on to become a feature filmmaker, directing movies like Jason and the Argonauts, One Million Years B.C. and Pete's Dragon. Though it may have been offered to cinemas, the main intended outlet of this film was classrooms, for showing to schoolchildren on teachers' 16mm projectors. Producers Gaumont-British Instructional were long-established by this point as by far the UK's leading producers of educational films, with an extensive catalogue serving several parts of the curriculum. Cathedral City is typical of their output: technically impressive, impeccably professional and deeply conservative with a small 'c'.
Related
The Opening of Ricemans Store in Canterbury and a Trip to Dover Castle The Opening of Ricemans Store in Canterbury and a Trip to Dover Castle
Amateur film 1962 7 mins Silent Location: Canterbury
Canterbury's newest department store opens to a colourful fanfare as this film from Peter Mills shows - along with an historical pageant, a Marine band and a trip to Dover Castle.
Canterbury and Dover Canterbury and Dover
Amateur film 1960 8 mins Silent Location: Canterbury
Peter Mills' film provides a glimpse of Canterbury and Dover in the early 1960s - where buildings, ancient and modern, sit side by side and Dover's castle is a backdrop to the port
The Studios at Elstree The Studios at Elstree
Amateur film 1985 3 mins Location: Borehamwood
One of the UK's oldest film studios braces itself for redevelopment in this film from Alan Stingemore
50 Years On 50 Years On
Amateur film 1990 12 mins Location: Hawkinge
Surviving Battle of Britain veterans celebrate half a century since their finest hour at various locations in Kent - Britain's front line county during the Second World War
Alexandra Palace and Canterbury's Longmarket Alexandra Palace and Canterbury's Longmarket
Amateur film 1986 3 mins Location: Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is the venue for this short film from Alan Stingemore which also includes a look at Canterbury's LongMarket shopping centre
Canterbury 1935: Murder in the Cathedral Canterbury 1935: Murder in the Cathedral
Amateur film 1935 3 mins Silent Location: Canterbury
T S Eliot stars in this remarkable film from Sydney Bligh - attending a performance of his famous play 'Murder in the Cathedral' in the story's actual location
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.