Friday 12 July is the 850th anniversary of Henry II visiting Canterbury for the first time after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket four years earlier. In 1174 the 12 July also fell on a Friday. The king, who had decided on his penitential pilgrimage only six days earlier, landed at Southampton from Normandy. Some […]

Briefly Kent’s Darent valley has a touch of Provence with swathes of purple. Lavender is now found in fields alongside the Pilgrims’ Way between Lullingstone and Shoreham. This is the heart of Samuel Palmer’s ‘veil of heaven’ countryside although he never saw the lavender which was planted just 25 years ago. On the way from […]

The popular Watts Galley Tea Shop on the Pilgrims’ Way is closed this week Monday 1 July to Wednesday 3 July. This due to improvement works starting on the kitchen. From Election Day Thursday 4 July a pop-up café will open on the Gallery lawn whilst the Tea Shop will be open for coffee and […]

Starting shortly this month there will be an occasional diversion on the Pilgrims’ Way above Charing in Kent. The route does not pass through the village which is downhill to the south. Just before the turn off it will be necessary to divert right down to the main road where there is a pavement. The […]

Cream teas are available every Tuesday during June at Upper Froyle Church. Upper Froyle is a handy stop between Alton and Farnham. The church has a rare dedication to the Assumption of Our Lady, a collection of Venetian vestments and a modern Pilgrims’ Way window.. The village is known for having statues of saints attached […]

Quality Street in Merstham, which has links with the Quality Street play and bow fronted houses as on the sweet tin, is on the Pilgrims’ Way. Immediately afterwards you cross high over a surprise motorway to St Katharine’s Church which is offering overnight sanctuary in its hall. This is just one of several places where, […]

A stamp is now available at The Bull on top of Shooters Hill for those carrying a pilgrim passport. The hill is 8 miles out of London and has a spectacular view back to the city. The Bull, a CAMRA star heritage pub with a grade II listing, dates from 1881 and is the successor […]

A new mile long pilgrim route known as the Romero Way links Southwark’s St George’s Cathedral to Southwark Cathedral. Some will wish to begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury at St George’s where there is the national Oscar Romero Shrine. Relics of the saint, a 20th-century Becket, are also found in Canterbury. ST GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL, since […]

It is encouraging to see the often muddy Nuns Walk out of Hyde at Winchester being cared for after some years of neglect. Abbott’s Barton Farm suffered huge neglect earlier this century when abandoned but recently it has become a family farm. Its new name is Winchester Farm. The new owners, having it seems given […]

Walkers from London will find the River Darent is running high along the valley from Dartford. A crucial section of Franks Lane between Horton Kirby and Farningham is closed due to flooding. Even the alternative triangular footpath diversion is also flooded. On arriving at the bridge in Franks Lane check to see if the ‘road […]