 The Black Death hit Canterbury in 1348 . At 10 @,@ 000 , Canterbury had the 10th largest population in England ; by the early 16th century , the population had fallen to 3 @,@ 000 . In 1363 , during the Hundred Years ' War , a Commission of Inquiry found that disrepair , stone @-@ robbing and ditch @-@ filling had led to the Roman wall becoming eroded . Between 1378 and 1402 , the wall was virtually rebuilt , and new wall towers were added . In 1381 , during Wat Tyler 's Peasants ' Revolt , the castle and Archbishop 's Palace were sacked , and Archbishop Sudbury was beheaded in London . Sudbury is still remembered annually by the Christmas mayoral procession to his tomb at Canterbury Cathedral . In 1413 Henry IV became the only sovereign to be buried at the cathedral . In 1448 Canterbury was granted a City Charter , which gave it a mayor and a high sheriff ; the city still has a Lord Mayor and Sheriff . In 1504 the cathedral 's main tower , the Bell Harry Tower , was completed , ending 400 years of building . 
