Southern Culture
Did You Know?
Canterbury
In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and ever since, the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims, as told in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
About the South East
The South East is England's gateway. For visitors from Julius Caesar in 55BC to the thousands who now fly daily into Gatwick or cross over or under the Channel, it has been the nation's interface with Europe.
The South East's contemporary culture is vibrant and varied. There are more professional artists, writers, performers and communicators than any other part of the country except London, which itself is surrounded and supported by the region.
But there are conflicts and complexities:
- densely populated, it is nonetheless predominantly rural and has few large urban centres
- thought to be rich, it contains pockets of serious poverty and deprivation
- at the cutting edge of new technology, it boasts unrivalled heritage attractions
- leading the nation in rates of participation in cultural activities and sport, it also includes groups and communities cut off from these opportunities by poor provision of education, transport and other resources.
Further information about the South East:
- cultural facts and figures
- statistics from Government Office for the South East
- Government strategies in the region
- SEE-iN, our Regional Observatory