Canterbury is on Chelsea shape and was first recorded in 1985 with pattern number Y8497. The pattern takes its inspiration from an earlier design dating from about 1891 featuring handpainted wild harebells by one of the company's premier artists: Felix Xavier Abraham. Delicate flowers often inspired the artists at Spode and were later translated into well-established patterns.

Many flowers have different 'common' names but one single botanical or Latin name. Canterbury Bells, the common name of the flower from which the pattern Canterbury takes its name, are Campanulas of which there are many cultivated and wild varieties.

Campanula is another similar pattern which was produced from 1977 with pattern number Y8283. This pattern was on the Stafford shape.

Canterbury is still in production in 2003.