 Canterbury is located at 51 ° 16 ′ 30 ″ N 1 ° 05 ′ 13 ″ E ( 51 @.@ 275 , 1 @.@ 087 ) in east Kent , about 55 miles ( 89 km ) east @-@ southeast of London . The coastal towns of Herne Bay and Whitstable are 6 miles ( 10 km ) to the north , and Faversham is 8 miles ( 13 km ) to the northwest . Nearby villages include Rough Common , Sturry and Tyler Hill . The civil parish of Thanington Without is to the southwest ; the rest of the city is unparished . Harbledown , Wincheap and Hales Place are suburbs of the city . 
