Medieval Heritage and
Pilgrimage Walks
Cleveland Way Trail: walk the 3 miles from Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire to Helmsley Castle
and tread in the footsteps of medieval Pilgrims along what’s now part of the Cleveland
Way Trail.
Camino de Santiago/Way of St James, Spain: along with trips to the Holy Land and Rome, this
is the most famous medieval pilgrimage trail of all, and the most well-travelled in medieval
times, at least until the advent of Black Death. Its destination point is the spot St James is said
to have been buried, in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Today Santiago is one of
UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.
Read more . . . the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela holds a Pilgrims’ Mass every day
at noon.
Walk as much or as little of it as you like. Follow the famous scallop shell symbols.
A popular starting point, both today and in the Middle Ages, is either Le Puy in the Massif
Central, France OR the famous medieval Abbey at Cluny, near Paris. The Spanish start is from
the Pyrenees, on to Roncevalles or Jaca. These routes also take in the Via Regia and/or the
Camino Frances. The Portuguese way is also popular: from the Cathedrals in either Lisbon or
Porto and then crossing into Falicia/Valenca.
At the end of the walk you receive a stamped certificate, the Compostela. To achieve this
you must have walked at least 100km or cycled for 200. To walk the entire route may take
months.
Read more . . . The route has inspired many TV and film productions, such as Simon
Reeve’s BBC2 ‘Pilgrimage’ series (2013) and The Way (2010), written and directed by Emilio
Estevez, about a father completing the pilgrimage in memory of his son who died along the
Way of St James.
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Clarendon Way is a 24 miles of pretty villages, ancient and modern woodland, riverside and
downs walks connecting the old medieval sites of Winchester and Salisbury Cathedrals.
Read more . . . the way takes its name from Clarendon Palace, once a hunting lodge for
Norman royalty.
Hadrian’s Wall. This renowned cycling and walking route crosses Northern England from the
Solway Firth in the west to Tynemouth in the east. The 2,000 years old path follows the ruins
of the Roman wall with its forts at Housesteads, Chester and Birdeswold. It’s some 84 miles
long. Though strictly speaking it’s not medieval, it has always exerted a strange imaginative
power witnessed in its neomedieval events. In 2013 these ranged from a Children’s Gladiator
school to a Dragon Family Fun trail in honour of St George, plus King Arthur’s Cavalry, a
series of mock battles set in the time of a mythical Arthurian world. Hadrian’s Wall is a World
Heritage site
Mary Michael Pilgrims Way (www.marymichaelpilgrims way.org).
This is a neomedieval pilgrims’ way, not an historic route but a modern one looking to
connect Christian and pre Christian sites across England from Cornwall to Norfolk. The
plan is to extend it as far as St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, via Brentnor, Glastonbury,
Avebury with its druid stone circle, Bury St Edmunds and on to Hopton on the Norfolk
Coast.
Read more . . . Glastonbury is also a site of pagan and Druid worship, and was known as
the second Rome in medieval times so compelling was it as a medieval destination point.
Offa’s Dyke, Wales, all 177 glorious miles of it, goes from sea to sea. This fortification,
running the full length of the English-Welsh border, was built by the Anglo-Saxon King Offa
who wanted it to mark the edge of his kingdom. Chepstowe Castle (the first stone castle in
Wales) is lovely, as is Tintern Abbey. Worth walking too for views of the Irish Sea, Snowdonia,
Anglesey.
Pilgrims Way is the pilgrim path from Rochester to Canterbury via the cathedral city of
Winchester across the North Downs, a series of routes to the shrine of Thomas à Becket
(1170). The Path is part of ancient tracks to and from Europe via Dover and other ports, and
then on into Europe along the Via Francigena. In England, the main route is Winchester to
Canterbury. Parts of it today are choked by traffic but you can still access it by following the
North Downs Way.
Pilgrims Trail Hampshire follows the famous medieval pilgrim route from the shrine of
St Swithun in Winchester Cathedral, all the155 miles to Mont St Michel, Normandy France.
The English route (follow the green markers) is Winchester to Twyford to Owslebury and
Bishops Waltham. Along the scenic way see the medieval church of St Andrew and ancient
Owslebury village. From Bishops Waltham you can continue to Southwark and then
Portsmouth for the ferry to Cherbourg. From there take the blue markers into Normandy.
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Read more . . . The Mont St Michel sanctuary drew pilgrims from far and wide in medieval
times, and beyond. Many used it as a stepping-off point on the way to Santiago de Compostela
in Spain but the cult of St Michael was widespread from the ninth century onwards. By the
time of the Reformation over 600 churches in England had been dedicated to him.
Pilgrims Way to Holy Island, Lindisfarne. This is the mystical, ancient route, all 1500 years
of it, across the sands at low tide. Follow the clearly marked route and don’t go at dusk
or on a rising tide (quicksand). The way is covered by tides two times a day. Walk or cycle
the 12 miles of St Bede’s Way. The walk links the Anglo-Saxon monasteries of St Peters in
Sunderland and St Pauls in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear.
St Cuthbert’s Way: walk 63 miles in the footsteps of Northumberland’s patron saint. Start
with his life on Holy Island and end at Melrose Abbey. After that pick up the Borders Abbey
Way at Melrose Abbey, a further circular 68 mile route linking the four medieval border
abbeys of Kelso, Jedburgh, Dryburgh, Melrose.
Read more . . . St Cuthbert was born around 634 AD. He was a shepherd then a monk at
Melrose. He was sent to Holy Island but later left to live on the Farne Isles as a hermit where
it was said he talked to the birds. Later he was Bishop of Hexham (684AD). He died on his
beloved Farne Islands.
The Way of the Roses is a 170 mile national cycle and walking route. Travelling coast to coast
from Morecambe in the north-west of England and east to Bridlington, the trail takes in the
historic cities of Lancaster and York.
St Oswald’s Way is a beautiful walk stretching from Holy Island in the north and south
along the stunning coastline of Northumberland, then inland to Heavenfields and Hadrian’s
Wall. These glorious paths, my personal favourites, link some of the sites associated with St
Oswald, king in the seventh century and one of the bringers of Christianity to England.
Two Saints Way, Cheshire and Staffordshire is the recently reopened 90 mile pilgrimage route
from Chester Cathedral to St Chad’s Church in Lichfield. The walk is named after two Saxon
saints who brought Christianity to Britain: St Chad and St Werburgh. Along the way see
Beeston Castle and views of Midlands potteries or the Shropshire Union canal.
Walsingham Way, Norfolk: Walsingham was celebrated as one of the holiest places in England
and rivalled Canterbury as the most popular medieval pilgrim point, thanks to the shrine to
our Lady of Walsingham.
Read more . . . In 1061 the widow of the Lord of the Manor of Walsingham had a vision
of the Virgin Mary who took her three times to a place where the angel Gabriel appeared to
her. Gabriel told Richeldis to build a replica of the holy house in Walsingham. He gave a sign
to say build it near twin wells but workmen were unable to construct it. Richeldis prayed for
help. In the morning the chapel was found already built on this site. Medieval travellers often
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came via Norwich or Kings Lynn (known as Bishops Lynn in medieval times). Today over a
quarter of a million people walk part of the Walsingham Way every year. Modern pilgrims
take shorter trails often beginning at Ely Cathedral, travelling through the fens to end at Little
Walsingham. Along the way, visit Bromholm Priory with its relic of the holy cross; take a trip
to the Shrine of Julian of Norwich; see St William’s shrine in Norwich Cathedral, St Edmunds
in Bury St Edmunds or St Etheldreda’s at Ely.
Via Francigena, Assisi to Rome: this famous medieval pilgrimage trail links Canterbury,
England and Rome, a European route that saw hordes of travellers walking to the tombs
of the Apostles in Compostela, Spain and St Peter’s Shrine in Rome, amongst other places.
Named after St Francis because his home town of Assisi was the hub connecting these ancient
routes.
MEDIEVAL BRITISH HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Sadly space precludes mention of the great heritage sites of France, Italy, Spain and
elsewhere. Read here for more on history and heritage in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England
and, specifically, north-east England.
SCOTLAND
www.historvius.com
www.visitscotland.com
www.scotland.org
The 4 Border Abbeys: Melrose, Jedburgh, Kelso and Dryburgh. Read more: Said to be the
burial site of Robert the Bruce’s heart Melrose is the most famous. This Cistercian abbey was
founded in 1136 and destroyed by Richard II in 1385. It’s a ruin now but some early 15th
century fragments of its church remain. Must see: its lovely church; cloister; museum; the
wonderful sculptures on its facade which include hobgoblins, a pig playing a bagpipe, cooks
with ladles. . . . Jedburgh is surprisingly intact Augustinian abbey, founded in 1138. Must see:
ruined cloisters; 8th century shrine; fabulous visitor centre; 12th century Jedburgh comb. Kelso
is also Augustinian. Started in 1128, it wasn’t finished until 1243 when it became the richest
and biggest in Scotland, with a famous medieval library. Ruined in Henry’s Reformation, it’s
still lovely with its setting in the Cheviot Hills, its lands, farms, and the granges which gave it its
wealth. Dryburgh was established in 1150 for the Premonstratensian Order. Many think this
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is the most beautiful of the 4 Border Abbeys with its fabulous Gothic architecture – still largely
intact despite being set on fire three times in its history. Sir Walter Scott is buried here.
Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries and Galloway - Castle of the Lark – is one of Scotland’s finest
and most popular. Once a fort, it was rebuilt in the 13th century as a symbol of ScottishEnglish rivalry; because it stands on the borders it was caught up in many battles, and was
captured by Edward I in the early 1400s. Lots to see and do here. Read more: see its triangular
design; twin-towered salthouse and moat; castle-themed adventure park; its reconstructions
of siege warfare.
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh is Scotland’s leading attraction, the most famous Scottish
icon in the world and a World Heritage Site. Once an Iron Age fort, built high up on Castle
Rock, the oldest remaining part is the medieval 12th century St Margaret’s Chapel. Robert
Bruce’s nephew took the castle back from the English in 1314 in the Wars of Scottish
Independence. Edinburgh is home to the Stone of Destiny, the Crown Jewels of Scotland;
the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg – and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Read
more: in World War II, the Crown of Scotland was hidden beneath a medieval latrine in
David’s Tower.
Elgin Cathedral, Moray, dates back to 1224 and is possibly the finest ruin in Scotland. See
its 15th century octagonal chapter house; 13th century west front door; medieval effigies; the
choir and presbytery. Read more: Elgin is known as the ‘Lantern of the North’ because it’s
made of yellow sandstone.
Hailes Castle, East Lothian is a must-see just because it’s one of the oldest castles in Scotland
and an interesting ruin. It’s mostly 14th century but some stonework pre-dates this. Likewise,
see Dirleton Castle, also East Lothian, a 13th century medieval fortress badly damaged in the
Wars of Scottish Independence but still with remnants of a 13th century chapel and dungeons
and some 1240s towers.
How about two island attractions? King David I established a priory here on Inchcolm Island
which later became Inchcolm Abbey. It’s still largely intact despite being under constant
attack throughout its turbulent history as an Augustinian monastery and later (12th century)
abbey. And Rothesay Castle, Rothesay, Isle of Bute built as defence against the Vikings who
nevertheless captured it in 1230 and again in 1263. It was rebuilt in the 13th century by an
ancestor of the royal Stewarts. See its ruined circular curtain wall.
Kinneil House and Museum, Bowness, is part of an estate with a 2000 year history. There are
a number of heritage sites here including a Roman fort, the ruins of a 12th century church; a
15th Century house (Kinneil House); and a museum with an exceptional audio-visual show.
For ‘romantic’ associations it’s hard to beat the next pair of Scottish medieval attractions,
only accessible by boat: Lochleven Castle, Lochleven is a famous island stronghold. Robert
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the Bruce holed up here and Mary Queen of Scots was ‘held’ in the 14-15th century tower
which still stands today. And don’t miss Inchmahone Priory, Stirling with its beautiful ruins
and idyllic spot on Lake of Menteith – again a sanctuary for Robert the Bruce and also a
young Mary Queen of Scots.
Stirling Castle, Stirling. This castle was a focal point in the medieval Wars of Scottish
Independence was focal point and is also the famous royal palace of Mary Queen of Scots.
It’s also associated with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. It was a fabulous stronghold
because it’s the centre point of strategic routes across Scotland and thanks to its location
on the flat top of an old volcano. Read more: Other prominent points for these Wars were:
Kildrummy Castle, Strathdon, which was unrivalled as the northern castle and sometime base
for Edward I (1296 – 1303). It has a lovely wild location, 13th century chapel windows, and
a twin-towered gatehouse. Likewise Urquhart Castle, on the banks of Loch Ness, was fought
over and taken by Robert the Bruce in the 14th century.
Want to read further about some Scottish attractions? Read more: Linlithgow Palace, West
Lothian is a major tourist draw. Built in the 15th century but with an interesting, much older
past. Mary Queen of Scots was born here. See also Holyrood House Palace in Edinburgh,
Bothwell Castle in South Lanarkshire, and the medieval well- preserved Cathedral in Glasgow,
said to be where St Mungo /Kentigerm was buried in the 7th century.
WALES
www.historvius.com
www.visitwales.com
www.castlewales.com
Don’t miss the 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites: Beaumaris, Conwy, Harlech and Caernarfan
Castles. Read more: These are the centrepoint of Edward I’s famous ‘ring’ of 13th century
castles designed to keep Wales for the English after the defeat of Llywellyn ap Gruffyd in 1283.
Caernarfan, still remarkably intact, was the birthplace of Edward’s son in 1284 and today
offers lots of exhibitions and tours. Conwy is famed for its lovely position on the estuary and
its grand towers and turrets. Harlech was besieged in 1404 by Welsh leader Owain Glyndwr
only to be lost again a few years later. In the Wars of the Roses the Yorkists seized the castle
from the Lancastrians, an event that inspired the ‘Men of Harlech’ song. Beaumaris Castle on
the Isle of Anglesey was the last of Edward’s strongholds and intended to be the biggest and
best. It’s incomplete but still a major tourist attraction.
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Caerleon is a Roman fort associated with Arthurian legend. Nennius (830AD) mentions it
as a site of one of Arthur’s battles – calling the site City of the Legion - while Geoffrey of
Monmouth (Monmouth is but 12 miles from here) says in his History of the Kings of Britain
(1133) that Arthur kept a court at this city. There is also a Roman amphitheatre here known
locally as Arthur’s Round Table.
Caldey Island and St Dogmael’s Abbey, Cardigan. There were monks on Caldey Island as
early as the 6th century. The island was owned by the Benedictines at St Dogmael’s Abbey, some
of whom came and built a new priory at Caldey, which was a popular pilgrimage centre. Like
Lindisfarne, Caldey is known as one of the Holy islands of the UK. The priory, still standing
today, remains home to monks - mainly Trappists who farm and make cheese, perfume and
toiletries. The island is worth a visit for the wildfowl. Get there by ferry.
See the neomedieval Cosmeston Village in Penarth, a recreation of village set in 1350, at the
time of the 100 Years War.
Denbigh Castle was another of Edward’s ‘rings’ built c.1282 on the site of a ruined Welsh
fortification.
Kidwelly Castle was an Anglo-Norman stronghold taken a number of times by the Welsh; it’s
a fabulous and well-preserved site, famous as a location for the film Monty Python and the
Holy Grail.
Ruthin Castle Hotel, Denbighshire, because King Arthur came here, or so the story
goes, when this site was but a wooden fort. Edward I also built his first stone castle in
Wales here. It was subsequently captured by Owain Glyndwr, owned by both Henry VIII
and Elizabeth I, and was finally destroyed by Cromwell’s troops. Today a hotel stands in
the ruins.
Strata Florida Abbey, Ceredigion, is known as ‘The Way of the Flowers.’ This important 12th
century Cistercian house, often called the ‘Westminster House of Wales,’ is the burial home
of a number of Welsh princes.
Tenby Castle. Sitting right on the coast in this lovely little town, its 13th century walls are
still largely intact. It was originally built to keep English and Flemish merchants safe in
Wales.
Tintern Abbey, Tintern, with its beautiful location on the river Wye, was built in 1131, and
restored in the late 13th century. This was the first Cistercian house in Wales, the wealthiest
of all the Welsh abbeys and second only to the prestigious Waverley Abbey in Surrey. Don’t
miss its wonderful windows, the 1300 Scriptorium, the 14th century Pulpitum Screen or the
Abbey guest houses.
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Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen, also called the ‘Valley of the Cross’ after a nearby 19th
century cross known as Eliseg’s Pillar. Founded in 1261 by 12 monks, Valle Crucis was
the last Cistercian house in Wales. It’s been rebuilt several times. It was damaged by fire in the
13th century and later by Edward I’s army, then again in Owain Glyndwr’s rebellion. Read
more: see it for its lovely location; its rose window; medieval grave slabs; vaulted Chapter
House. The Abbey is home to a number of Welsh poets including Guto’r Glyn who was
buried here in 1493.
Interested in Welsh heritage? Read more: Caerphilly Castle, built to defend against Llywelyn
ap Gruffydd Prince of Wales; Cardiff Castle; the beautiful 12th century Powis Castle with its
gardens and medieval deer park; Raglan Castle; Rhuddlan Castle; the lovely 11th century
Manorbier Castle overlooking the beach on the Pembrokeshire coast; plus range of mostly
Cistercian abbeys and the 13th century Augustinian Penmon Abbey on the Isle of Anglesey.
Penmon was founded by St Seiriol who also set up a small community of hermit monks on
nearby Puffin Island (Ynys Seiriol in Welsh). Go there for its ruined monastic buildings, the
holy St Seiriol’s Well and also look out for his supposed burial place.
IRELAND
www.heritageireland.ie
www.worldheritageirealnd.ie
www.discoverireland.ie
Want to know something of Irish heritage? Read more: Ireland has a rich Saxon, Viking and
Norman heritage. The Viking raids of 795 onwards destroyed many early monasteries and
established strongholds along the coast –Waterford, Wexford. Limerick, Cork and Arklow – in
Dublin, in Armagh in the North. The Vikings had gone by the late 10th century leaving Ireland
to warlords and kings. In 1169 King Diarmid fled to Normandy and gained the support
of Henry II and to famous Norman marcher lord Richard de Clare- known as Strongbow.
Armies of Norman, Welsh and Flemish soldiers took Wexford, Leinster and later Waterford.
In medieval times Ireland was ruled by the English and Normans.
Blarney Castle, Cork, is a ruin originally built by the famous Irish chieftain Cormac MacCarthy
and home to the famous Blarney Stone; kiss it and get the gift of the gab!
Bunratty Castle, Co, Clare, is possibly the most complete medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in
1425 it has a history of attack and destruction throughout the medieval period. Four castles
in all have been constructed on this site.
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Carrickfergus Castle, County Antrim is one of the best preserved sites in Ireland. Its
strategic position on the Belfast Lough – today we can see it from land, sea and air –
saw 800 years of fighting and rebellion against the Scots, the Irish, the English and the
Normans. In March 2004 an archaeological dig revealed the foundations of its medieval
walls, uncovered the medieval Great Hall and revealed artefacts from throughout its
entire history.
See Conmacnoise, the ancient seat of learning, commerce and power just outside Athlone
at the crossroads of all Ireland. Founded by St Kieran in 543–549, the site was subject
to numerous fires and repeated raids, first by Vikings then by Anglo-Normans. Must see:
some of the best extant High Crosses in Ireland; its monastery; its 8-12th century grave
slabs. Read more: Kieran was one of the 12 apostles of Ireland, and one of the first
12 Bishops of Ireland consecrated by St Patrick. He is also renowned as the first Irish
born saint.
Visit Dublin (the Viking Dublinia) for its wealth of Viking and medieval Norman history
(the city was dedicated to St Ouen, the 7th century bishop of Rouen and patron saint of
Normandy). Take its medieval walks; see St Audoen’s Church, formerly the heart of the
medieval walled city and the only remaining medieval church here today; go to St Audoen’s
Interpretative Centre, or the main visitor attraction ‘Dublinia’ housed in the wonderful Christ
Church Cathedral.
Glendalough. Co., Wicklow, founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, is one of the most crucial
monastic sites in Ireland. Set in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, this huge site is also
known as the ‘Monastic City’ of ‘The Valley of the Lake.’ Must see: Read more: the 30m high
Round Tower; the 12th century Priest’s House; St Mary’s Church; the 6-7th century granite
cross; the ‘Cathedral’ with its early medieval nave and chancel; St Kevin’s church with its 12th
century round-tower belfry; its stone crosses, the old stone fort, and a range of other 12th
century churches.
King John’s Castle is a 13th century medieval fortress in the medieval city of Limerick on the
river Shannon. It was upgraded in 2013 to become a major tourist attraction complete with
‘King John’s Castle Visitor Experience:’ interactive technology and exhibitions and events
such as siege warfare, medieval campaigns, and medieval costumes.
Maynoth Castle, Maynoth, County Kildare. Home to the Kildare branch of the Geraldines,
this was one of the biggest, wealthiest and most powerful castles in Ireland. It was restored
in 2000 and now houses many exhibitions and events (It’s also right next to the National
University of Ireland). See its original keep, possibly the biggest in Ireland.
Old Mellifont Abbey, Drogheda, was the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland and is worth
seeing for its exhibition of red stonemasonry alone.
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Visit Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, with its 13th century castle; 15th century Franciscan friary; and
the Abbeys of Monaincha and Sean Ross. Read more: the 8th century Book of Dimma was
taken from here for display in Trinity College, Dublin.
St Columbus Church, Kells, Co. Meath. This was the original site of the monastery of Kells
with its famous Book of Kells. The monastery was founded when the monks from the Scottish
Isle of Iona resettled here in 804.
Trim Castle, County Meath was the largest Norman castle in Ireland. Hugh de Lacy started
building it c.1176; it took 30 years to complete. Trim is a heritage town and the castle and
surrounding area were the location for the film Braveheart.
Visit the Viking and Norman city of Waterford with its Medieval Museum – and vaulted 13th
century choristers’ hall; Reginald’s Tower, the oldest civic building in Ireland and a surviving
Viking fort; Christchurch Cathedral c.1096 for its wonderful architecture and because it’s
where the famous Marcher lord known as Strongbow married Aoife, daughter of the king of
Leinster.
ENGLISH HERITAGE
www.englishheritage.com
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire, is a Gothic recreation of a medieval castle complete with naked
gods in orgy, a host of ‘medieval’ activities and a Chaucer-style fountain of Venus in its
gardens. Check it out for its family days-out and numerous events.
Bury St Edmunds and Cathedral. Enjoy the medieval architecture of the town – home to one
of the Magna Carta - and the Abbey gardens, part of the ruined 11th century Abbey, one of
the most important in Europe in medieval times. Read more about the Magna Carta: It is
said that feudal barons met in secret in St Edmund’s Abbey in November 1214 when they
swore an oath to compel King John to accept a proclamation making him subject to certain
laws: The Charter of Liberties. This Charter later became the Magna Carta. It’s supposed
to be read aloud twice a year in all county courts and twice in all of England’s cathedrals,
and at the opening of every Parliament. There are 4 copies based on the 1297 ‘original’
version, held at Lincoln, Salisbury and two in the British Library. There are 24 other versions
sited, for instance, here in Bury St Edmunds, at Durham, Hereford, Oxford, Westminster
Abbey, Washington DC in the USA, and one at Canberra in Australia, amongst others. See the
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Medieval Guildhall. Don’t miss the Cathedral, built on the orders of King Canute alongside
the abbey to house the remains of St Edmund, king of the East Angles, killed by Vikings in
869. Bury St Edmunds was an important pilgrimage site and the cathedral is the only one in
Suffolk. It was famous for wool and textiles and also, unfortunately, for the massacre of 57
Jews in 1190, after which they were all expelled from the town.
VISIT CANTERBURY, Kent, ‘home’ to Chaucer’s pilgrims and a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. This lovely city is dominated by the oldest cathedral in England, Canterbury Cathedral.
It has the ruins of a Norman castle keep and castle walls (c.1200), one of three original
castles in the town (the others are gone) – AND the ruins of the first church ever founded
in England, the oldest still in use today, and the oldest in the English speaking world,
the late 16th century St Martin’s Church AND St Augustine’s Abbey, a ruin outside the
city walls, with its fabulous museum and audio tour. There is also the lovely River Stour,
wandering streets and lanes, medieval architecture and plenty of guided walks. Visit, too,
The Canterbury Tales Experience where medieval and contemporary cultures collide. The
‘Experience’ begins at the ‘Tabard Inn’ and ends at the shrine of St Thomas à Becket with
a costumed guide at each end. The interactive pilgrimage comes complete with multilingual audio guides, dramatic renditions of 5 of Chaucer’s Tales – the Pardoner’s, the
Nun’s Priest’s, the Wife of Bath’s, the Miller’s, the Knight’s – from actors such as Robert
Powell and Prunella Scales. Events in 2014 included Medieval Fun Day, The Terrible
Tales and The Canterbury Tales – LIVE! More? See www.canterburytales.org.uk or www.
aardvarkproductions.biz/education/
‘The Canterbury Tales Experience’ also comes to schools via Aardvark Productions with
medieval workshops such as Pilgrimages, Food, Clothing, the Apothecary, Barber Surgery,
Weapons and Armour – and sometimes The Canterbury Tales.
Canterbury Cathedral. This ancient site was a place of Roman worship before St Augustine –
who came here as a missionary and then became the first Archbishop of Canterbury –
established a cathedral in 597AD after being given the land by the local King Ethelbert (his
wife was a French Christian). Augustine’s ‘original’ cathedral is now under the floor of the
knave. From the 10th century to the Reformation the site was home to Benedictine monks.
Canterbury Cathedral was completely rebuilt by the Normans in 1070 after fire destroyed
the old building.
Must see: the Martyrdom, the shrine and the pilgrimage point to Thomas à Becket; the
Quire; the 12th century stained glass; Trinity Chapel, built to house Becket’s shrine; the
Western Crypt. Read more:
●
The Martyrdom, the shrine and the pilgrimage point to Thomas à Becket murdered
here in 1170, probably on the orders of Henry II, and sanctified in 1173.
●
Its 12th century stained glass, all 1200 square metres of it, making it one of the
largest collections in the UK.
●
Its spectacular length, fully 515 feet from east to west.
●
The Quire: at over 800 years old this is one of the oldest Gothic pieces in the UK.
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●
Trinity Chapel, built to house Becket’s shrine. This also has the tomb of Henry IV
(d. 1413) and the Black Prince (d. 1376). See too its fabulous glass; Archbishop’s
Seat; St Augustine’s Chair; and its Purbeck Marble.
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The Western Crypt. Huguenots still worship here every Sunday, as they have done for
over 900 years.
Chester. You can walk the 2 mile circuit of its Roman walls, most still standing, and built
to protect the fortress they called Castra Devana. In medieval times Chester was the most
important port in the north-west. Don’t miss: its medieval mystery plays.
Chester Cathedral has been a site of worship since Druid and then Roman times. It was
of importance in Anglo-Saxon England after it was founded in 660. In 875 St Werburgh’s
relics were brought here to protect them from Viking raids and in 907 a church was built
by Ethelfelda, daughter of King Alfred, to house Werburgh’s shrine. In 1092 the Norman
Earl Hugh, ‘the Wolf ’, Lupus, nephew of William the Conqueror, built a monastery here
and brought Anslem, Abbot of Bec in Normandy, to Chester to oversee it. Chester Cathedral
took years to build; it wasn’t finally completed until the early 1500s. What I love about it: its
atmosphere; you can still hear the monks chanting in the cloisters. To see and do:
●
Climb the Cathedral Tower. From the roof you can see the city and 5 counties
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The 14th century Quire stalls and misericords
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The 13th century Chapter House
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The 13th century Lady Chapel. See its ceiling boss which depicts the murder of
Thomas à Becket; the only other one is in Exeter Cathedral.
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The Shrine to St Werburgh c. 1330 with her relics, one of only seven shrines left in
England
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The North Transept Arch c. 1100
Christ Church College and Cathedral, Oxford. This 12th century Anglican cathedral was once
the Priory of St Frideswide, patron saint of Oxford. Read more: Legend tells how Frideswide
hid in woods near this site to escape marriage to a Prince. When the Prince is alter blinded,
Frideswide saves his sight in exchange for her freedom. In thanks, she founded a religious
house. The Cathedral shrine, built in 1289 and twice restored after its destruction in the
Reformation, once held her relics and drew pilgrims from far and wide. Must see/do:
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The Latin Chapel where St Frideswide’s story is depicted in glass by Edward BurneJones (1858)
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The South Transept with its Becket window c. 1320 which narrates his murder and
martyrdom. When Henry VIII ordered the destruction of all images of Becket, the
martyr’s face was blocked out and the window preserved intact for today
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The College Dining Hall, set for scenes in the first two Harry Potter films
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Hear the Christchurch Cathedral Choir sing
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Dover Castle, Kent, 1100 years old. In the King’s Hall lies its most famous treasure, its vellum
copy of a Mappa Mundi based on the Sawley map, England’s only extant piece from medieval
times.
Once the sea came in to meet the land in this part of the Fenlands. Ely was an island then,
hence its name: the Isle of Eels. It’s famed for its cathedral. Ely Cathedral was founded by
St Etheldreda, a Saxon princess who ran away from her husband and later became abbess
of Ely, a double monastery, in 673. It was the richest in England (save for Glastonbury)
until the Vikings destroyed it. By 1109 it was home to Benedictine monks and nuns, and
Etheldreda’s shrine was a favourite pilgrimage point for medieval travellers. Ely was the
only place in Britain known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. The shrine
and most of the medieval glass and carvings were lost in the Reformation. In contemporary
times, this beautiful and evocative building – another personal favourite – as the location
for Elizabeth: the Golden Age, scenes in TV’s The Other Boleyn Girl, and for the film The
King’s Speech.
Must see: Read more:
●
The medieval oak West Door
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Take a Tower Tour and see the West Tower, 215 feet high, and also the Octagon
or LanternTower. That Tower is the heart of this cathedral and a feat of medieval
engineering, constructed in oak after the central tower of the Norman cathedral
collapsed in 1322.
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The Norman nave, longest of all the English cathedrals after Winchester, St Albans
and Canterbury.
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The Lady Chapel (and St Etheldreda’s Chapel) is the biggest in England. It was built in
1349 and housed some of the cathedral’s treasures. It was ransacked and vandalised in
1541, just after Henry VIII dissolved all monasteries. Windows were smashed, statues
decapitated and most of the wall painting defaced with hammers and chisels.
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The South and North Transepts, the oldest parts of the building you see today, dating
from around 1090.
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Take a look at the monastic buildings, some of the oldest, still-inhabited, in England.
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Climb the turret into the Stained Glass Museum where you can see a range of
neomedieval works, glass in the Gothic revival of the Victorian age.
Fountains Abbey, Ripon, Yorkshire
With its 800 acre setting, beautiful water garden and the romantic ruins of a 12th century
Cistercian Abbey- still the most complete in the UK – it’s no surprise that Fountains Abbey
is a World Heritage Site. I came here for the first time in October 2012 and was struck by
how like a picture postcard this amazing place is. Sorry for the cliché but you have to see
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its soaring, ruined stonework, or wander its beautiful grounds yourself just to realise how
achingly lovely the place is.
In 1132, after a ‘rebellion’ at St Mary’s Abbey in York, 13 Benedictine monks fled in search
of a safer, more devout life. Less than 40 years later, the new Abbey they founded here housed
60 monks and around 200 lay brothers. The original Benedictine rule had been replaced by
a Cistercian one. While the monks contemplated God, the lay brothers created wealth: from
wool which was sent to the Cistercian-created port of Hull – especially in the 1200s - but also
from lead, stone and farming, making it the richest place in the UK. By 1381, thanks, in part,
to the Black Death, only 34 monks remained.
Must see/do: Read more:
●
Just wander the ruins. See the fabulous architecture of the bone-like facade, and its
lovely pink stone, the length of the old Nave with all the birds circling . . .
●
The Porter’s Lodge Interpretative Centre
●
Don’t miss the last surviving Cistercian Corn Mill; the medieval deer park; the
gardens; the fabulous kitchen and cloisters. I love the enormous Cellarium, its vaults
opening up like a giant thorax
●
Take the 170 mile coast to coast The Way of the Roses or the Ripon and Fountains
Abbey walk
●
See nearby Bolton Abbey
Glastonbury and Glastonbury Abbey. Glastonbury was a site of pre-Christian worship,
as well as being the famous Avalon in all Arthurian legends. One of its most impressive
landmarks is Glastonbury Tor, all 500 feet of it, a favourite spot for anyone interested in
Celtic history. The church on top of the Tor is named after St Michael, the archangel who
defeated the powers of darkness. And the Tor’s strange terracing is thought to be part of an
ancient magical patterning constructed around the same time as Stonehenge.
Read more about Avalon: In Celtic legend Avalon was an isle of enchantment. The island
was formed when the sea washed right to the foot of the Tor and formed a lake known as
Ynys-witrin or the Island of Glass. But Avalon is also named after the demi-god Avalloc or
Avallach, who ruled the underworld. In myth, this place where the sea met the land was also a
rendezvous for the dead where they passed on to another existence, while the Tor was said to
be the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, the Lord of the Underworld, and a place where the fairy folk
lived. Many still believe that Avalon is a centre of ley-lines and so still has mystical powers.
The connection of Avalloc, the Isle of Apples, and Avalon stems from the 12th century and
is reported by William of Malmesbury in his De Antiquitae Glastoniensis Ecclesie as well as
appearing in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae.
Glastonbury Abbey is one of the earliest in England and also one of the most iconic, for
this is the legendary burial place of King Arthur and associated with the Holy Grail. How are
these stories intertwined? Read more: 2000 years ago Joseph of Arimathea (Christ’s uncle)
is supposed to have brought the young Jesus here. After Jesus died, it’s said that Joseph
returned to build first Christian church here, appointing twelve Christian hermits to look
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after it. He brought with him the Holy Grail, the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper and
later by Joseph to catch his blood at the crucifixion. Stories of a sacred vessel dear to the
Celts mingled with the story of Christ’s Last Supper and the Christian Holy Grail which
inspired quests and crusades across England, Europe and the Far East. Joseph is said to
have buried the Holy Grail just below the Tor at the entrance to the Underworld, for safe
keeping. Shortly afterwards, a spring, known today as the Chalice Well, flowed forth; its
waters brought eternal youth to anyone drinking it. The Holy Grail Joseph is said to have
hidden was years later the purpose behind the quests of King Arthur and the Knights of the
Round Table.
St Patrick, St David and later on King Arthur are all said to have come to Glastonbury
after Joseph of Arimathea constructed a church here. King Ine of Wessex built on top of a
number of earlier Anglo-Saxon churches and then the 10th century Abbot St Dunstan – also
Archbishop of Canterbury – greatly added to it. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086),
Glastonbury was the richest monastery in England. In the 14th century it was second only
to Westminster. Today the Abbey precincts are a site of archaeological importance with the
buried remains of a number of Anglo-Saxon churches and, beyond the cloisters, earthworks
and other evidence from Roman times.
Must see/do:
The Lady Chapel, a superb 12th century monument built in 1186–87 after fire destroyed the
Norman Abbey. See its carvings and decorations.
The 14th century Abbot’s Kitchens
Its 36 acres of parkland
Nearby Glastonbury Tor
Let costumed guides take you on medieval living history tour
The Holy Thorn. Read more: Stories say that when Joseph of Arimathea arrived here he
carried with him a staff which he rested in the ground while he slept. In the morning it had
taken root to become the Holy Thorn, an unusual oriental tree. The present tree is said to be
descended from this. It flowers each year, once at Easter then again at Christmas.
The sign marking King Arthur’s tomb in the South Transept. Read more: After Arthur was
wounded by Mordred at the battle of Camlann (537?), he was taken across the water to the
Isle of Avalon for his wounds to be healed. Since Glastonbury would have been an island at
that time, it was feasible that a boat might bring him to the only place where any medical
attention was available: the monastery at Glastonbury Abbey. But Arthur died of his injuries.
Legend tells how he was buried in the cemetery on the south side of the Lady Chapel,
at Glastonbury Abbey between two stone pyramids and at great depth. Some say Henry II
asked the Abbot to dig within the ancient Saxon graveyard for the bones of Arthur, as he had
information from a Welsh bard that Arthur was buried here. More likely, the monks wanted
to search for relics to raise money for rebuilding after fire destroyed most of the Abbey. In
1191 the monks discovered a huge oak coffin beneath a lead cross bearing the inscription
Hic jacet sepultus inclitus rex Arturius in insula Avalonia: ‘Here lies King Arthur buried in
Avalon.’ The coffin contained two bodies - a great man and a woman, whose golden hair was
still intact; when it was touched, it crumbled away. The bodies were said to be Arthur’s and
Guinevere’s. The bones were then moved to a tomb in the South Transept.
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In 1278 King Edward I and Queen Eleanor came to the abbey to oversee the final transfer to a
beautifully decorated black marble tomb before the high altar. They wrapped the bones in precious
cloth, placed them in decorative caskets, they then placed the caskets into the black marble tomb
which remained at the abbey until it was destroyed during the Dissolution in 1539.
No-one has seen or heard of the bones since.
Visit the lovely Hereford Cathedral. This may not be the biggest or the most spectacular but I
am always overwhelmed by its elegant simplicity – and by the Mappi Mundi, one of the great
heritage treasures of the UK.
Must see: Read more:
●
The Lady Chapel Crypt, shrine to Saxon boy-king St Ethelbert who came to Hereford
from East Anglia in 794. His life is depicted here in 12 ‘technicolour’ icons.
●
The fabric hangings narrating the story of St Thomas (Cantilupe) of Hereford
(b.1218), former Bishop of Hereford whose shrine drew pilgrims for miracles of
healing and actually escaped destruction in the Reformation.
●
And one of my best ever, the neomedieval stained glass works of art – designed by
Tom Denny, 25 March 2007 to commemorate the writings of local man Thomas
Traherne; the windows are a glorious, haunting reminder of what medieval stained
glass windows must have looked like more than 600 years ago.
Visit Lacock Abbey, Chippenham, just because this multi-styled 13th century building is set in
lovely woodland in a National Trust owned village. It’s also famous as a location for several
TV shows and films including a stint as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films.
Visit the beautiful little town of Lavenham in Suffolk, a fine example of what was once a
flourishing medieval wool trade. Enjoy its late Gothic church, winding medieval streets and
alleyways, and its half-timbered facades.
Leicester’s Cathedral has Anglo-Saxon and medieval heritage but more it’s home to the
recently-found remains of King Richard III. See the 4.5 million pounds Richard III Visitor
Centre nearby which opened its doors in July 2014 to tell the story of Richard’s life and death
in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. The exhibition has created replicas of Richard’s
head, skull and skeleton and displays the hole where he was found: look through the glass
down into the area from which he was exhumed and see the projected outline of his skeleton
on the earth below. The Yorkshire Museum also displayed a replica of his head in 2013.
And in March 2015 Leicester Cathedral will bury him all over again. Read more about
Richard’s remains: In September 2012 the remains of the last English king to die in battle
were found buried under a council car park in Leicester, just a hop and a skip away from where
generations of children had been running around in their school playground. Richard’s body
had lain there for over 500 years. DNA tests on the descendants of his sister Anne of York
confirmed his identity. Examination shows that he had suffered trauma and injury consistent
with contemporaneous accounts of his death and that he also suffered from scoliosis of the
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spine but was NOT the hunchback popular history has claimed he was. Though a little short
in the body and with one shoulder higher than the other, he was still well-formed and without
obvious deformity. History was right to suggest he was a great warrior.
The Plantagenet Alliance, some claiming to be descended from the king, challenged the
decision to re-bury Richard in Leicester suggesting that York Minster was a more fitting place
for this Duke of York. Three High Court judges ruled against them and deplored the waste of
public money in bringing the matter to trial.
Richard III will be finally laid to rest in Leicester Cathedral in a coffin made by his seven
times great-nephew from Canada, Michael Ibsen. The coffin will be enclosed in Swaledale
stone and raised on a plinth of Kilkenny marble with his name, dates, coat of arms and
family motto – loyalty binds me – engraved on the side. The ceremony will cost upwards of
2.5 million pounds.
Another personal favourite is Lichfield Cathedral, heart of a huge diocese extending to
Chester and the Potteries/ Stoke in the north, Coventry in the south, Derby in the east, and
Oswestry in the west on the Anglo-Welsh border.
This is the only medieval British
Cathedral with 3 spires – to symbolize
God, Christ and the Holy Ghost.
Lichfield was a Saxon place of worship
dedicated to St Chad, the man who
brought Christianity to the kingdom
of Mercia and who was bishop here in
the late 1600s. The Normans erected
a cathedral here in 1085–1140. Read
more: One of its patrons, Bishop de
Clinton, fortified the Cathedral Close
in the 11th Century: you can still see
the remnants of his towers, walls and
moat today. St Chad’s Head Chapel
and the Chapter House were built in
the early 1200s followed by the Lady
Chapel 1320 – 30. Lichfield Cathedral
was besieged on 3 separate occasions
in the English Civil War, holding right
to the last, when Cromwell’s men
launched cannon balls to hole the roof
and collapse the central spire. The
cathedral was only partly restored to its
FIGURE A glimpse of Lichfield Cathedral
magnificent splendour in 1856–1908.
Must See: the medieval mystery plays; St Chad’s Shrine; the medieval Lady Chapel; the
Chapel of Prayer; the Chapter House; the Quire; the famous Lichfield Angel; and a range of
other architectural gems.
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Read more:
●
The remains of St Chad’s Shrine, destroyed in the Reformation. Chad’s Head still
draws pilgrims today to its home at the end of the 13th Century north aisle. His
bones were kept as relics in St Chad’s Head Chapel until the 1540s and his skull was
displayed on the balcony for all to see.
●
The medieval Lady Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Chad, with its
wonderful statues of female saints and intricate glasswork.
●
The Chapel of Prayer, dedicated to St Stephen and erected by Bishop Langton (1296 –
1321), who also instigated work on the Lady Chapel. See too its medieval painting of
the Trinity.
●
Its architectural gems: the 1285 Nave, the 1220 South Transept, the main entrance
for medieval pilgrims who accessed it by taking a boat across the Minster Pool; the
North Transept c.1240 with its view along the full length of the building;
●
The Chapter House (1249) where the bishop met with his clergy. Today it houses
a range of treasures and exhibits. In 2013 I saw Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
manuscript, plus the famous Lichfield Angel an 8th century limestone carving of the
Angel Gabriel found in 2001 while workers excavated the cathedral in order to erect
a mechanical platform. See it too for the medieval wall painting of the Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin Mary and its windows depicting the story of St Chad.
●
The western bays of the Quire (1220), probably the oldest remaining part of this restored
Cathedral. And hear the world-famous Lichfield Cathedral Choir (12 men + 18 boys)
sing Evensong. There has been a choral foundation here since 1233, if not before.
Lincoln Cathedral. The city of Lincoln is worth a visit in its own right not least for its
medieval Castle. But the Cathedral is one of my personal favourites. It was consecrated in
1092 to set a Norman ‘seal’ on the surrounding area. Badly damaged by fire in 1141 it was
rebuilt in classic high French style, then renovated again - in 1165 after it was hit by an
earthquake – by Bishop St Hugh of Lincoln (1186–1200). It was once the tallest building in
the world until the wind blew off the spire in 1549. I love it for its peaceful atmosphere, its
cloisters, and the intricate carvings on its elaborate stonework. Must see/do: see its medieval
mystery plays and . . . Read more:
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The shrine to St Hugh of Avalon, Bishop of Lincoln, once a major pilgrimage point in
the Middle Ages
●
Take the Floor, Roof, and Tower Tours
●
See the Magna Carta
●
The magnificent medieval Library (see Libraries and Manuscripts, this site)
●
The Nave and St Hugh’s Choir
●
The lovely Rose Windows: the Dean’s Eye, 1220, depicting the Last Judgement and
still with its medieval glass and the Bishop’s Eye c. 1330
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The Chapter House, setting for the film The Young Victoria
●
The famous peregrine falcons nesting in the stonework
●
The tombs of 2 famous medieval women: Katherine Swynford (d,. 1403), mistress
and later wife of John of Gaunt, and sister-in-law to Geoffrey Chaucer. And
Eleanor of Castile, queen to Edward I, who died near Lincoln in 1290
●
And last but not least the Lincoln Imp, one of the many grotesques adorning the
stone and symbol for the city. Read more: legend says a small devil wandered into the
cathedral to torment the Angels – who grew tired of him and turned him into stone
before placing him in the Angel Choir
Lincoln Medieval Bishops’ Palace. This was one of the wealthiest English seats of power,
right at the centre of the biggest diocese in medieval England (running from the Humber to
the river Thane). Situated next door to the famous cathedral and with views over the city, the
Palace was renovated by Bishop William Alnwick in the 1430s.
Ludlow, Shropshire, is a lovely medieval town on the English-Welsh border, fortified by a
wall, medieval gates, and a small well-preserved castle.
Mount Grace Priory, north Yorkshire. One of just 10 remaining Carthusian priories in England,
this 14th century specimen is well-preserved as well as enjoying an ancient woodland setting.
Monks lived an ascetic life in this silent order. Today the Priory is open to the elements and an
abundance of wildlife, including a famous colony of stoats which live beneath the ruins. Check
out its nearby 13th century manor house, monk’s cell, and reconstructed herb garden.
Visit Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Why? Because this chocolate-box village is on the site of an
Anglo-Saxon monastery founded c.680 by the king of Mercia whose daughter was a famous
saint. Read more: St Milburge’s relics were discovered here in 1101 making Much Wenlock
a favourite pilgrim destination and bringing wealth to this tiny priory. The Normans refounded it as a home for Cluniac monks. Much of the lavish 13th century building remains,
along with its church, its cloister garth (wash-house) and decorated chapter house.
Norwich and Norwich Cathedral. Visit this beautiful city: it’s perhaps the most complete
medieval city in England and was certainly the largest outside London in medieval times. The
gorgeous Cathedral is one of 12 heritage sites in and around Norwich. And, of course, it’s
associated with Julian of Norwich and (at nearby Kings Lynn) Margey Kempe.
Norwich Cathedral, with 900 years of history, is one of the most complete Norman
buildings in England and one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. It was
founded in 1096 by the first Bishop of Norwich, Herbert de Losinga, as a Benedictine house.
Today you can see many medieval treasures: Read more:
●
Many original Norman paintings, plus medieval graffiti
●
Over 1,000 medieval roof boss carvings
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The spectacular Nave and Crossing Tower
●
The medieval Choir and Miserisords
●
Look out for the Green Men all over the place, their faces almost hidden in
foliage
●
The famous 14th century painting the Despenser Retable. Read more: Henry
Despenser, campaign soldier, was bishop here from 1370–1406, and a controversial
figure. He brought this treasured piece of art to the cathedral, yet was also infamous
as the man who ordered the beheading of Norfolk’s Peasants’ Revolt leader Geoffrey
Lister, and his men, after they’d surrendered.
●
The famous stained glass windows commemorating Julian of Norwich, anchorite,
whose cell as attached to the Cathedral in 1394, plus her statue in the West Front.
One of these windows mistakenly depicts her as a Benedictine nun.
Along with Durham and Ely, Peterborough Cathedral is one of the best preserved medieval
cathedrals in England. It’s a famous landmark and a great example of Norman architecture.
Before the Reformation, it was number 6 in the Top 10 of wealthy cathedrals and monasteries.
And, again before that time, it held relics of Thomas à Becket and St Oswald of Northumbria.
Why visit? Read more:
●
For its Central Tower
●
Its 14th century ceiling and 13th century wooded nave ceiling
●
Its Tours of the Tower, the Precincts, the Cathedral
●
Its stonework, including the famous Anglo-Saxon Hedda or Monk’s Stone
●
The graves of Katherine of Aragon and the original resting place of Mary Queen
of Scots
Rievaulx Abbey, north Yorkshire, 1132,
was the first Cistercian Abbey founded
in the north of England – modelled on
Clairvaux - and is today one of the most
complete ruins, drawing Romantic artists
in the 18th and 19th centuries from far and
wide.
It is actually the ruins of 4 separate
monasteries, famed first for agriculture
then ironworks. Under the rule of its
third abbot St Aelred (1147–67) it was
hugely powerful and wealthy with
140 monks and a staggering 500 laybrothers and other workers. I love it for
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FIGURE Romantic Rievaulx, by permission, English
Heritage
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its atmospheric, almost ghostly, ruins
and its setting in a bowl of the valley,
surrounded on all sides by the lands
that made it rich. When I was there last
I felt a strange presence in the Kitchen
area, tucked away in one of its many
nooks and crannies, while the almostempty place rang to the sound of French
voices, a family visiting for the day
and clambering over the stones, their
language somehow reminding of its
former medieval glories.
Must see:
●
the fabulous exhibition in the
museum
●
the tannery
●
the ruin itself. Go armed with an
information leaflet map. Take the
audio tour.
●
Walk from Rievaulx to Helmsley.
●
See nearby Jervaux Abbey, one of
its daughter houses
FIGURE The ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, by permission,
English Heritage
Roche Abbey, Maltby. Visit simply because its excavated foundations offer the most complete
ground plan of any English Cistercian order. See too: its Gothic transepts, still at full height,
its complete transept wall, its gatehouse and the ruined infirmary.
Runnymede, Surrey. One of the most famous locations in England. The British Library hosts
a huge exhibition here in 2015 in celebration of the 800th anniversary of the signing of
the Magna Carta. When you’ve had enough of that, walk the nearby River Thames water
meadow where King John brokered peace with the rebel barons in 1215.
Salisbury Cathedral and medieval city with its museum, historic houses in the cathedral
grounds, and one of England’s oldest, still-working medieval markets. Set near Stonehenge,
Salisbury Cathedral is a wonderful example of 13th century Gothic and has probably the best
preserved Magna Carta. It also has many literary and film links, and is inspiration for Ken
Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. Don’t miss: Read more:
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●
the Magna Carta
●
Britain’s tallest spire which weighs in at six and a half tons. Take the Tower Tour,
90 minutes of history: climb the 332 steps and see right up into the spire with its
medieval wooden scaffolding
●
Europe’s oldest working clock (1386)
●
Europe’s largest Cloisters and Quire stalls
Southwark Cathedral. There has been a place of worship here since 606 or even earlier. It
was founded in 1106 by the Normans, as an Augustinian house looked after by the bishops of
Winchester. Don’t miss John Gower’s tomb or Lancelot’s Link.
St Albans and its Cathedral. The first Battle of St Albans opened the War of the Roses in 1455.
See the town for its Roman museum and theatre, and its famous Medieval Clock Tower, the
only medieval town belfry in England (1403–1412).
St Albans Cathedral is the oldest site of continuous worship in England. St Albans was
martyred here in Roman times, and King Offa made it a Benedictine monastery c.793. The
Normans rebuilt it in 1077. Must see:
●
The Great Tower, 144 feet high
●
The 1327 Lady Chapel made of Purbeck marble
●
The Chantry chapels
●
The largely intact Presbytery
Read more: St Albans Cathedral is famous as the ‘home’ of the medieval artist and chronicler
Matthew Paris, choir monk here 1220–59.
Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Surrey. Formerly the 7th century burial grounds of the kings of
East Anglia. Most of its treasures are now in the British Museum. Read more: Don’t miss the
helmet belonging to king Raedwald of the East Angles whose empty eye sockets look back at
you across a 1500 year divide.
The Anglo-Saxon Ship Burial discovered in 1939 at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, commemorates a
king of enormous wealth and prestige who ruled at the critical period of England’s transition
from paganism to Christianity: probably Rædwald of East Anglia, who died c. 625, and whose
career and attempt to compromise between religious beliefs is recorded by Bede. Though
no human remains were found, the standard, sceptre, weapons, armour, gold and garnet
jewellery, vessels and domestic goods represent the splendour enjoyed by the highest level
of seventh-century society. The Sutton Hoo court was international, its treasure including
Byzantine silver, a Coptic bowl, Celtic hanging bowls, Frankish coins and weapons and the
design and art of eastern Sweden, where the royal family originated.
The treasures, including the iconic helmet, gold buckle and jewelled purse lid, are
exhibited in Room 41 at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG,
Phone 02073238299, https://www.britishmuseum.org
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The royal burial site, with reconstructed burial chamber, tours of the funeral mounds and
exhibitions, is operated by the National Trust at Tranmer House, Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge,
Suffolk IP12 3DJ, Phone 01394389700, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo
Written by Gale Owen-Crocker
Gale R. Owen-Crocker is Professor of Anglo-Saxon Culture at the University of Manchester, UK, and
Director of the Manchester Centre for Anglo-Saxon Studies. She has published books and articles on
Old English literature, art and archaeology and on medieval dress and textiles, especially on The Bayeux
Tapestry. She is the co-founder/editor of the annual journal Medieval Clothing and Textiles.
Tintagel Castle. There has been a fortification here since Roman times but this castle was built
in the 1230s by Richard, Duke of Cornwall, youngest brother of Henry III. See it for its great
walks and sea views, the remains of the Great Hall, but above all for its association with King
Arthur, who was conceived here according to Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Walsingham has been a holy site for almost a thousand years. In medieval times the Our
Lady of Walsingham Shrine was a popular pilgrimage destination and renowned as ‘England’s
Nazareth,’ one of the greatest shrines in all Christendom. To find out why, see Medieval
Walks and Pilgrimages, this site. The old shrine was housed in an Augustinian monastery and
church in 1153; you can see the ruins of these buildings today in the Priory grounds. The
Shrine was destroyed in Henry’s Reformation. Restoration of one of the 14th century wayside
chapels, the Slipper Chapel, began with a private purchase in 1897. The new Shrine now sits
in a redbrick building constructed in Gothic style, in 1931.
Warwick Castle. This is one of my all-time favourite places. Constructed by William the
Conqueror in 1068 on the site of an old wooden motte and bailey Saxon fortification, the
castle has a long and bloody history of siege (1264 and 1642), fire (1871) and in-fighting.
The castle was under the stewardship of successive Earls of Warwick- originally the Grevill
family, then the Beaumonts, Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester who seized it in 1264, the
du Plessis, the Mauduits and, finally, William de Beauchamp who took it in 1268 and whose
family held it for 148 years. It has a number of claims to fame: Read more:
1312: Guy de Beauchamp seized Edward’s lover Piers Gaveston, tried him for treason at
Warwick Castle and executed him there.
1397: Thomas de Beauchamp is caught up in the turbulent final year of Richard II’s reign,
exiled to the Isle of Man by the king and recalled when Henry IV defeated Richard in 1399.
1431: Richard de Beauchamp supervised the trial of Joan of Arc.
1445: Henry VI’s childhood friend Henry de Beauchamp was made the first – and last
(he died the following year) - Duke of Warwick.
Must see at Warwick: the Merlin Tower; The Tower and Ramparts; the Castle Dungeon;
the Princess Tower; the Bear Tower and Clarence Tower; the fabulous interactive Kingmaker
Exhibition; its many live shows and exhibitions. Read more:
●
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The Merlin Tower, an interactive 15 minute walk-through ‘show’ inspired by BBC 1’s
‘Merlin’ TV series.
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The Tower and the Ramparts with the 44.8 metre high Caesar’s Tower and Gaol,
built in the 14th century for Thomas de Beauchamp and the 14th century Guy’s
Tower: 5 storeys, some 39 metres tal,l and 12-sided.
●
The gory Castle Dungeon with its 10 torture rooms and 50 minute walk-through
interactive show. I still love its oubliette and the medieval torture boot.
●
The Princess Tower Show based on the story of Guy of Warwick’s quest to win
Felice.
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The Bear Tower and Clarence Tower. The ‘Bear’- named after the bear-baiting
there- is the ruined tower house Richard, Duke of Gloucester -later Richard
III - began building in 1478. Clarence Tower is a 15th century Royal keep,
recreated to resemble how it looked when Richard’s brother the Duke of
Clarence inhabited it.
●
Walk through the ‘live’ sights and sounds and smells of the amazing Kingmaker
Exhibition, named after Richard Neville who gained Warwick Castle in 1449 after
his brother-in-law Henry de Beauchamp died. During the War of the Roses, Neville
was involved in the deposing of Henry VI and Edward IV, hence his ‘kingmaker’
reputation.
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Enjoy the fabulous year-round medieval live shows and activities: ’Towers and
Ramparts;’ The Castle Dungeon;’ ‘The Princess Tower;’ ‘Kingmaker’ (above);
‘Merlin: The Dragon Tower;’ ‘Mighty Trebuchet – the largest siege machine in the
world. Plus meet ‘Mike the Knight’ and take part in the ‘Horrible Histories.’ Watch
the Birds of Prey show, jousting and archery displays - ‘The Bowman Show’ – and
have fun with ‘Warwick Castle Unlocked’ – four centuries of rooms revealed for the
first time with their “foul mediaeval sludge” (Castle website: 19 May 2014). Or go
Medieval Glamping.
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And don’t forget to visit Warwick’s ‘sister’ castle at Kenilworth.
Waverley Abbey, Surrey. This 14th century ruin sits on the river Wey. It was the first Cistercian
house in England, founded by William Gifford, Bishop of Winchester, in 1128 with 12 monks
and an abbot from Normandy. It grew to include 70 monks and 120 lay brothers, all active in
the wool trade. It was also famous in medieval times as a place of sanctuary.
Wells Cathedral has been here in some form since the Stone Age but especially since 705.
Named after its famous wells, this is the first English cathedral built in Gothic style. Don’t
miss: Read more:
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The West Front c.1175 with its 300 original statues
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The Wells Clock c. 1390, the second oldest in England and still in use today (the
clock face is the oldest anywhere in the world)
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The Jesse Window with its mostly intact 14th century glass
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The Scissor Arches constructed in 1338–48 as the cathedral foundations began
to shift
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Vicar’s Close, the only complete and still intact medieval street in England,
where Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury founded a college to house his male-voice
choir
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Westminster Abbey. There were Benedictine monks here in the 10th century when then, as
now, its centrepiece was the shrine to St Edward the Confessor. Not much remains of its
medieval beauty - built in 1245 by Henry III - but do see:
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St Edward’s Chapel and Shrine
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The Coronation Chair, made for Edward I to hold the Stone of Scone which he
brought back from Scotland
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The Lady Chapel, begun in 1503
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The Nave: it took 150 years to build from its beginnings in 1376
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The Cloisters
The Abbey, answerable only to kings and queens, has been a Coronation Church since 1066
when William the Conqueror was crowned here. Read more: 17 monarchs rest here with
some 3,300 people, many of them kings and queens, commemorated: see the tombs of Henry
III, Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, Edward II and Philippa of Hainault, Richard II and Anne
of Bohemia, and Henry V.
Whitby Abbey is possibly my favourite place in the whole world. No description will do
justice to its haunting power.
In 657 AD Oswin, the Saxon
king of Northumberland appointed
Hild as Abbess of one of the greatest
double monasteries of its day, home
to Benedictine monks, nuns, and
the famous Saxon poet-singer
Caedmon, and centre point of the
great Synod of Whitby.
In 867 a series of devastating
Viking raids meant the Abbey was
abandoned. Much later, in 1078,
the Norman William de Percy refounded the place. This is what you
see today, its atmospheric ruins but
a shell of its former Gothic glory,
FIGURE Don’t miss the amazing Whitby Abbey, by
permission, English Heritage
yet still a landmark for sailors
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FIGURE The ruins of Whitby Abbey, by permission, English Heritage
approaching the wild headland it sits on, just as it has been for centuries past. This is
possibly the wildest place you’ll ever visit, exposed high on the hill above the fishing village
below, and pounded by sea and waves and strong winds. No wonder it inspired Bram
Stoker’s Dracula, and today draws steam-punks and Goths and Celtic ‘followers’ from all
over the world.
Don’t miss:
●
The amazing ruins gazing down on the sea below. The north and east transepts are
still both almost full-height.
●
Its events, especially Goth Weekends and the Illuminated Abbey exhibitions in
winter
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The Visitor Centre and exhibitions
●
Drive to it from York, across the North Yorks Moors and take the coast road to
Whitby just to see its iconic ruins rise up before you
●
See the tiny parish church of St Mary’s right next to it
Winchester and Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire. Winchester was known as Wintanceastre in Anglo-Saxon and was the ancient capital of Anglo-Saxon Wessex. Sir Orfeo of
medieval romance stories was said to be king of Winchester. And the last battle between
Guy of Warwick and the giant Colbrand takes place outside Winchester’s city walls.
Must see:
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The 15th century City Cross (Buttercross) with its 12 statues of various saints and
the Virgin Mary
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The Hospital of St Cross, a huge Norman chapel and almshouse founded in the
1130s by Henry of Blois. Even today it hands out ale and bread to pilgrims just as it
did for medieval travellers as part of the ‘wayfarer’s dole.’
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The 12th century castle and its Great Hall, said to be home of Arthur’s Round
Table. A Table dating from the 13th century hangs on its walls so it can’t be
Arthur’s. But we like the story. The names of Arthur’s knights are engraved
around the edges.
●
See the ruins of nearby Wolvesey Castle too, c. 1110 but built on an Anglo-Saxon
settlement – because it was home to Henry of Blois.
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Winchester Cathedral. See it because it has 1500 years of history and because it was one of
the biggest in Europe, with the longest Nave and the greatest overall length of any Gothic
church here or on the Continent. Once a small church, it became the Old Minster, the most
important church in Anglo-Saxon England and the burial place of kings, including Alfred the
Great and King Cnut. It was a Benedictine Priory in the 10th century before being enlarged.
It housed the bones of St Swithun whose shrine brought pilgrims from far and wide and was
associated with many healing miracles. The Normans claimed it after the conquest; William’s
son William Rufus is buried here too. It was remodelled again in the 14th century and is still
a glorious building today.
Must see/do:
●
The ruins of the old Priory and 14th century Pilgrims’ Hall, as well as the site of the
monk’s dormitory, now a garden
●
The famous Winchester bible produced by monks here at St Swithun’s. Winchester
was also the place where the Domesday Book was put together.
●
The Tournai marble font celebrating St Nicholas and gifted by Henry of Blois,
grandson of William the Conqueror
●
The Triformium Gallery in the South transept which has the only surviving Saxon
glass in England – the Shaftesbury bowl – and medieval sculptures of Madonna and
child and the head of God
Worcester Cathedral has been here since the 7th century, one way or another. In 983
St Oswald built a cathedral and a Benedictine monastery. These were rebuilt in 1084 by
St Wulfstan. In Anglo-Saxon and medieval times, Worcester was of major importance as a
seat of learning. Don’t miss: the shrines to Oswald and Wulfstan or the tomb of King John
who loved the place.
The spectacular York Minster is one of the largest Cathedrals in Europe (restored 2014).
The Cathedral is built on the site of Roman fortress. The first church dates to
672 and in 732 the Pope recognized the first Archbishop of York. 9th century Viking
raids failed to destroy the stone Saxon church. That had to wait until the Normans
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came here in 1069 when William the
Conqueror appointed his own Archbishop
to oversee the construction of what was
intended to be the greatest cathedral in all
England (1220 – 1472).
A major archaeological dig in 2012 revealed
much of the period between Roman and
Norman occupation. There is evidence that the
York site was a major Anglo-Saxon settlement
and powerhouse in the Northumbrian kingdom
even before the arrival of the Vikings and the
‘Jorvik’ city they founded. Archaeologists
found such items as a rare Anglo-Saxon coin,
‘Viking-age’ human feet bones and Norman
foundations.
Must see/Do: the 4 Principal Windows:
the Great Yorkshire Window, Great West
Window, Five Sisters Window, and the
famous Rose Window; climb the 275 steps
of the Central Paver; visit the Orb; take an
underground interactive tour; and access
the historic collections in the Old Palace.
Read more:
About the 4 Principal Windows:
●
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Great Yorkshire Window, or the Heart
of Yorkshire Window, 1330s, with
its scenes from the life of Christ, the
Saints, York’s archbishops. The West
font is a traditional gathering place
including on New Year’s Eve when
people congregate to hear Great
Peter, the bell in the tower, ring in the
New Year.
FIGURE Exterior shots of York Minster,
reproduced by permission, English Heritage
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Great West Window, (completed 1405), the work of the famous medieval glazier
John Thornton. Overlooking the Lady Chapel, its 177 narrative panels – and roughly
equal numbers of tracery panels – depict the story of the books of Genesis and
Revelation. This is the largest single-piece stained glass in the world – over 23m high
and 9.5m wide.
●
Five Sisters Window (or the Jewish Window) in the North Transept (1260
onwards). With over 100,000 individual pieces this has been fabricated from the
famous medieval Cistercian or ‘grissaille’ white /silver coloured glass.
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The famous Rose Window, South
Transept, with its 7000 pieces,
dates from c.1250 according to its
stonework; the original medieval
glass has vanished – what you see is
from several hundred years later.
This gorgeous window – damaged by fire in
July 1984 – is an example of the iconographic
medieval rose or ‘wheel’ windows (named
after St Katherine of Alexandria martyred
on a wheel) seen all over: in all the major
cathedrals of Northern France (St Denis,
Mantes, Laon, Notre Dame) and also in
the English cathedrals of York, Lincoln,
Canterbury and Durham, in Beverley
Minster, and in the neomedieval Great Rose
Window over the doors of the Cathedral of
St John the Divine in New York City.
FIGURE York Minster’s ‘Orb’ panel.
●
Climb the 275 steps of the Central
Paver for the panoramic view.
●
Visit The Orb, an elliptical treasure house of stained glass and other medieval
works of art, many by John Thornton who has been described as England’s ‘lost’
Michaelangelo. Enjoy, too, its interactive galleries.
●
Go on an underground interactive tour and learn all about the Cathedral’s 2000 year
history: ‘Revealing York Minster in the Undercroft.’
●
Access the historic collections in the Old Palace (contact the archivist for details). . . .
Take a guided tour. . . . Examine the fabulous display of artefacts and its various
treasures; textiles; monuments; stone; glassware – All listed in the Cathedral
Inventory and awaiting digitization: arrange a visit.
Visit YORK: for The Shambles – Gothic and Celtic shops in wonderful winding alleys and
byways; the city walls; river walk; York Minster; Betty’s Tea Rooms; Medieval Mystery Plays;
the JORVIK CENTRE - take the interactive sensory live tour of Viking York plus a small
museum at end (Queues!).
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A few more English heritage attractions. Read more:
Byland Abbey; Norfolk’s 12th century Castle Rising, built as home for queen Isabella after
her husband Edward III was murdered. See its huge earthworks and well-preserved keep;
Conisbrough Castle with its 12th century keep and battlements, inspiration for Sir Walter
Scott’s Ivanhoe; Helmsley Castle; the ruined late medieval Hungerford Castle on the SomersetWiltshire border for its still-intact chapel; Kirkham Priory; Lewes Priory and town, Sussex.
The priory was once one of the richest monastic houses in England and had a church the
size of a cathedral; Middleham Castle, Yorkshire, childhood home of Richard III; Richmond
Castle, one of the best Norman fortresses in England, built to quell the unruly northern
medieval barons; Roche Abbey with its full-height transepts; Scarborough Castle; Thornton
Abbey with the best preserved gatehouse in England;
MY PERSONAL BEST: NORTH-EAST
ENGLAND’S HERITAGE
MUST VISIT: If you have never visited the windswept expanse of North-East England with
its horde of medieval heritage sites, you are in for a surprise. Of course I’m biased. Read
more: Over the last 14 years I’ve visited this forgotten corner of England more times than I
care to remember, drawn by its rugged heritage coastline, its ancient pilgrim routes and those
amazing Northumbrian voices and battle-scarred landscape. Here Romans, Vikings, AngloSaxon and medieval history plays out before your eyes and ears. This is the land of ruined
FIGURE Whitby Abbey, by permission, English
Heritage
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FIGURE Dunstanburgh Castle ruins, by
permission, English Heritage
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abbeys, lost saints, strange Pele Towers.
This is the home to the famous medieval
Percy family, rulers of a hostile territory
kings could never subdue. And home
too to the infamous Border Reivers,
whose fearless ‘outlaw’ clans dominated
this part of the world long after most of
them were dead. Read more about the
Reivers: Reivers handed down words
like ‘bereavement’ and ‘blackmail’. Their
family names live on in Northumberland
today. One of the Reivers, Wat Scott,
was Sir Walter Scott’s ancestor. And
FIGURE Warkworth Castle, by permission, English
Heritage
for years they raided cattle, robbed,
kidnapped, wreaked havoc across the
county. In medieval times every Border town had its own unique set of riding ‘rules’ and
hundreds of people on horseback turned out for the annual spectaculars every year.
Must See:
Alnwick Castle. This is one of the best, still inhabited, castles in Europe, home to the Percys and you’ve all seen it already: Alnwick Castle is best known today as the location site for
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter film franchise. Take a look
at just a few of the typical events and activities on offer here in 2013: Read more:
●
A tale of two Harrys (Hotspur and Potter), part of the regular ‘Battle of the
Broomstick Tours,’ a live walk-through behind the scenes of the film
●
The Lost Cellars’ Tour: the keeper of the Lost Souls takes you on a journey into the
cellars beneath the castle. This is described as a “dark adventure,” not for the fainthearted (www.alnwickcastle.com)
●
Take part in Broomstick Training, Medieval Crafts, Medieval Jesting, Archery,
Falconry, Medieval Music, Medieval Swordsmanship, and be a Potter inspired
character[s]
●
Join the Knight’s Quest. Dress in medieval clothes and become a master craftsman at
a medieval market, in 1389, learning how to make wands, herbal soaps, or sitting in a
scriptorium. You also play medieval games, test your skills as a knight in the lists, and
sit on a royal throne – because this is when Alnwick celebrates the return of Harry
Hotspur, England’s most famous medieval knight.
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Or go on a Dragon Quest: solve riddles, make your way through a Hall of Mirrors –
and meet a dragon or two.
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The imposing Bamburgh Castle, known as the ‘King of Castles’ and set in lovely Bamburgh
village, the ancient capital of Northumberland, was the Percy powerhouse. It was, briefly, a
royal base for Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses before the castle fell to siege in 1464.
King David of Scotland was also held here in the chapel after losing the battle of Neville’s
Cross in 1346. Bamburgh Castle’s written records date back to Anglo-Saxon times but much
of what you see today has been restored.
The best thing about Bamburgh Castle is its location. Read more: see and do: The first sight
of it high on a rocky mound is breathtaking from any direction. Looking inland to the Cheviots
then backwards, over the magnificent beach out to the Farne Isles – with Holy Island a distant
speck – you will want to return again and again. Some say Bamburgh is Sir Lancelot’s own Joyous
Garde: he and Guinevere walk into a trap in Carlisle; she is taken, he escapes and then comes to
rescue her, taking her to Joyous Garde. Arthur besieges – Lancelot is banished overseas. After
Arthur dies he returns as a monk, and begs be buried at his ‘home’ Joyous Garde. There is an
effigy in Bamburgh Church, of an unknown knight traditionally called ‘Lancelot du Lac.’
Look for:
●
the remnants of the original 12th century Norman stonework on the two Gatehouse
Towers (the Keep)
●
The 14th century Muniment Tower, storage for important documents
●
The King’s Hall - because although it was rebuilt in Victorian times, it sits on the
original floor plan. Likewise the kitchens, especially the Great Kitchen, still give a
sense of the huge size of the original medieval castle.
●
The great Curtain Walls and the remains of the 12th century apse inside the Inner
Ward. The Ward was the site of medieval building plans. At least six other buildings
sit below it including the Anglo-Saxon site of St Peter’s Reliquary, said to have the
arm of king, and later saint, Oswald.
●
Its exhibitions and events: Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Medieval Archery, Medieval
Encampments.
Chillingham Castle, Chillingham. A strategic stronghold in the border feuds in the 1200s,
and a fortified garrison by 1344, Chillingham was often besieged. Many describe it today as
Northumberland’s best kept secret, but its lovely location, in the Cheviot Hills belies its chilling
past, told in the must-see Torture Chamber Dungeons. Read more: This is a dark, forbidding castle.
When you see the carved initials on the walls of the dungeon from prisoners taken in the Border
Wars, you realise why. The place is known as England’s most haunted castle, something you can
experience on one of its night-time tours, see on television (‘Most Haunted,’ Living Television;
BBC’s ‘The Curious House Guest;’ ITV’s ‘Robbie Coltrane’s B-Road Britain, amongst others),
films – Chillingham was the setting for Elizabeth with Cate Blanchet – or find in supernatural
legend. Read yet more: The Blue (or Radiant) Boy is said to wander Chillingham Castle, crying
out for who knows what. Excavations found the remains of a child and fragments of his blue
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dress bricked up in a wall . . . The ghost of Lady Mary Berkeley, the medieval wife looking for
her husband who ran off with her sister . . . or the evil Torturer seen in the dungeons. . . .
Don’t miss:
●
The dungeons
●
The 12th century church and tomb in the parkland
●
The extensive grounds, footpaths, woodlands, largely free of intensive farming and so
preserving its ‘medieval’ origins
●
The famous herd of Chillingham Wild cattle, survivors of the ancient cattle which
once roamed the all of Britain’s forests. Fewer than 100 are left; Chillingham’s stock
comes from the cattle that were here over 800 years ago.
Dunstanburgh Castle is the most atmospheric ruin you will ever visit. The castle belonged to
Thomas of Lancaster and then John of Gaunt who kept it in case he needed a quick getaway.
When you see it you will know why.
FIGURE Dunstanburgh Castle ruins, by permission, Engish Heritage
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Read more: Standing high on an
exposed coastline, the narrow
stone slipway at the back of it is
almost hidden – and beyond it is an
expanse of wild, difficult to navigate
sea. Dunstanburgh was also an
important Lancastrian stronghold
in the Wars of the Roses but fell into
decay during the Reformation even
though Henry VIII wanted it as his
new harbour when he lost Berwickupon-Tweed to the Scots (when he
regained Berwick he gave up on
Dunstanburgh). Approach this castle
FIGURE More views of Dunstanburgh Castle ruin, by
from the beach at Embleton Bay or,
permission, English Heritage
even better, take a long coastal walk
via Craster and cut across the common. Wherever you go the ruin is an iconic landmark, tiny
till you come right up to its secret sprawl.
Read yet more: There is a story that on a stormy winter night a certain Sir Guy arrived and
sought shelter at Dunstanburgh Castle. The huge doors open and there before him is a giant
old man all aflame. The burning figure calls Sir Guy into the Great Hall where hundreds of
knights and their horses lie sleeping. Two enormous skeletons guard a crystal tomb; inside is
a beautiful damsel held in Merlin’s spell, one that can be broken by a knight who correctly
chooses between a sword and a horn. Sir Guy chooses the horn – and the vision disappears.
Devastated by his error, Sir Guy searches for the woman till the day he dies but never finds her.
Somewhere in the castle ruins she sleeps still . . . [See Ghosts and Legends of Northumbria,
Sandhill Press Ltd, 2002]
Don’t miss medieval Durham with its beautiful bridge, ’medieval’ streets, manuscript and
archive collection. The Cathedral –masterpiece of Norman architecture- and the Castle –
formerly home to Prince Bishops – make it a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Durham Cathedral: Must see/do: Read more:
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St Cuthbert’s shrine: Cuthbert, the holy saint of the north, was brought in 995 to
Durham’s original Anglo-Saxon church. He was given a shrine in the new Norman
Cathedral in 1104. This is also the last ‘home’ of Bede whose bones were brought to
Durham in 1022 and enshrined here in 1370
●
Climb the 325 steps up to the Cathedral tower for the panoramic views
●
The Claustral building, the most complete left in England
●
The fabulous 14th century medieval timber roof of the Cathedral Library, formerly
the place where medieval monks went to sleep
●
The 12th century Monk’s Door on the Cathedral’s south side.
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The Lady Chapel, built 1175–89, and the only place in the Cathedral ‘monastery’ where
women could worship. Look out for the fragments of original medieval stained glass.
●
The Chapel of the Nine Altars, built 1242–80, and its famous Rose Window. The
only other glass to survive the Reformation is the mid 14th century Jesse Window, the
Great West Window
●
Plus Durham cathedral still has its Sanctuary Knocker and the lovely carved facesover 900 years old – on the arches of the Nave’s stone vault.
Hexham Abbey, Hexham The Saxon Queen Etheldreda gave land to St Wilfrid so he could
build a monastery here. Wilfrid’s 674AD church was destroyed by subsequent Viking raids
and not rebuilt until 1174. Though attacked by Scots in 1296, the Abbey you see today is
largely intact. I advise it for its relative simplicity and pleasing geometrical lines. Read more:
Once I was given a private tour of the 1300 year old crypt, all that remains of the original
Saxon building: don’t miss it.
Also, must see:
●
The ancient Misericords and the Night Stair
●
The great stone chair in the Choir, - allegedly made for Wilfrid – known as the Frith
Stool. It is said that when criminals claim sanctuary, the closer to the Stool they are
the safer they will be.
Lindisfarne Priory, Holy Island.
Nothing compares to your first experience of this place: the clue is in the name. Originally
home to the world-famous Lindisfarne Gospels, to saints, to ransacking Vikings, it’s now
a modern-day pilgrimage site complete with medieval events and exhibitions. Whichever
century you travel in, the island is still cut off from the mainland twice a day and potential
visitors need to pay attention to the times of the tides. Most arrive by car now, driving over
the exposed causeway. The bravest attempt the old pilgrim trail, if not for the danger then for
the magic of the walk.
Founded by St Aidan in 635, Lindisfarne was the cradle of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon
England. Read more: Its most famous monk, St Cuthbert, was one of many who came here
in times past (Bede, Oswald . . . ). Originally a shepherd, then a monk at Melrose Abbey,
Cuthbert was sent to Holy Island but later left for the rocky outcrop of the Farne Islands to
live as a hermit. It is said that he talked to the birds; even today the Farnes are major breeding
ground for all kinds of wildlife, including seals. Cuthbert was appointed Bishop of Hexham
in 684, but he couldn’t stay away from Farne or from Lindisfarne- where he was also Bishop.
When his undecayed body was found in the Priory, Lindisfarne became a sacred site. It was a
place of pilgrimage for over 1300 years in spite of its many Viking raids.
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Must see/do:
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The Priory’s Anglo-Saxon artwork
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The Heritage Centre whish tells of life in the time of Cuthbert and Bede, and of how
the Lindisfarne Gospels came to be
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The garden, modelled on the Lindisfarne Gospels, which won silver in the Chelsea
Flower Show 2003 before being recreated on Holy Island, opposite the Heritage Centre
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‘Cuddy’s Beads’, small fossilised star lilies found on the beach here (also known as
feather stars) and considered lucky charms
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The Holy Island ghosts: Read more: the phantom monks on the causeway – said to
be those of monks killed in a Viking raid in 793AD – standing watch for the return of
the Norsemen AND St Cuthbert. People tell of the man sitting on rocks and working
‘Cuddy’s Beads’ into his rosary, and of seeing St Cuthbert in the Priory. According to
legend his ghost told Alfred the Great he would be king.
Warkworth Castle was another Percy family power-base in the early1400s. Subsequently
fought over by the English and the Scots, it’s now a romantic 12th century ruin overlooking a
lovely village and river.
Flanked by towers at the Main Gate and surrounded
by a moat, this medieval site was still being enlarged
in the 18th century. Lord Percy (Henry) of Alnwick
was granted the castle in 1332; it has been associated
with the Percy’s ever since. And it’s one of the prettiest
castles I’ve ever seen.
Stroll around Warkworth and see: Read more:
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Warkworth’s 14th century Gatehouse – once
a gaol – at the entrance to the River Bridge, a
medieval fortified stone bridge spanning the
lovely River Coquet and one of only a handful
of such bridges left in the country. Until a
new bridge opened in 1965 this was the only
crossing point across the river.
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The largely intact medieval church of
St Lawrence. In 1174 the Scots, led by Earl
Duncan, massacred men, women and children
who had fled for sanctuary in this church by
burning it to the ground. The church was
rebuilt in 1200 and the West Tower added,
before the Percy’s extended it further in the
15th century.
FIGURE Don’t miss the fabulous
Warkworth Castle, by permission,
English Heritage
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MEDIEVAL HERITAGE AND PILGRIMAGE WALKS
Once you’ve seen all you need at Warkworth
Castle, take a trip down the river where
a small boat will row you across to the
miniscule 14th century chapel and sacristy
hewn out of the cliff and known as the
Warkworth Hermitage. This is the story of
how it came to be here: Read more:
In one of several versions of this tale,
one of Sir Percy’s knights, Sir Bertram of
Bothal, declares his love for Isobel, daughter
of Lord Widdrington, at a feast held in
Alnwick Castle. Sir Bertram promises an
act of daring to prove his worth. Later, in
a skirmish with the Scottish army of Earl
Douglas, Bertram is gravely wounded.
Taken to a Percy stronghold at Warkworth
Castle, he sends a message to Isabel to ask
her to come to him. She never does. When
he’s recovered, Bertram goes to find her,
only to learn that she had gone to him after
all. Her disappearance suggests she has been
abducted. Disguised as a minstrel, Bertram
goes in search of Isobel; his brother helps
by searching in the other direction. Hearing
of a princess held captive in the castle of a
Scottish chieftain who rivals him for Isobel’s
hand, Bertram rushes off but fails to storm
the building.
He keeps watch only to see her at
a window, then he falls asleep. Woken
by a noise, he sees Isobel carried off on
horseback by a figure in Highland dress.
In the fight that follows Bertram kills the
man – in truth his own brother in disguise –
and accidentally murders Isobel too.
Warkworth Hermitage is Sir Bertram’s,
built out of grief and remorse. The
Chapel is home to the effigy of a beautiful
unknown woman (Isobel?); the figure of a
man kneeling at her feet. The inscription
over the door reads, ‘My tears have been
my meat night and day.’
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FIGURE Part of Warkworth’s curtain wall
FIGURE At the gates of Warkworth Castle, by
permission, English Heritage
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MEDIEVAL AFTERLIVES IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
Also in North-East England.
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Barnard Castle, one of the largest in the north with its central defence location on
a crag overlooking the river Tees. And just outside it, the wonderful ruins (1184) of
Egglestone Abbey with its lovely Lantern Tower, the oldest lectern in the north.
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Carlisle Castle with its strange medieval carvings sits at the heart of the most besieged
border city in England.
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13th century Aydon Castle, hidden in woodland, and the centre-point of EnglishScottish Border Wars; Durham Castle; Ruby Castle; Etal Castle built in defence
against the Scots and site of the famous Battle of Flodden; Prudhoe Castle, with its
huge fortress and great moat, was occupied one way or another across 9 centuries –
yet it is the only Northumbrian castle to resist Scottish invasion; King David I of
Scotland’s 12th century Roxburgh Castle built to defend the border; Belsay Hall and
Garden; Brinkburn Priory.
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Preston Tower, Chathill (1392), one of the famous 14th century Pele Towers, built as
defence against the Border Reivers, 78 of them in this area alone. Preston, with its
thick walls and vaulted rooms is the best preserved of them.
●
St Nicholas’s Cathedral, Newcastle, and St Paul’s Church and Monastery and
St Peter’s Church, Jarrow: 7th century churches where Bede and his contemporaries
worshipped. See St Peter’s, for its medieval stonework, and St Paul’s for some of the
earliest stained glass, in Europe, as well as the remains of its Norman monastery.
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Tynemouth Priory and Castle. Vikings repeatedly attacked this site until the monks
who lived there abandoned it. But the Normans recognised its great position on the
Tyne estuary and rebuilt it, pretty much as you see it today. Read more: The Danish
monk Prior Olaf lived and died here. It is said that his distraught ghost still stands
look-out on the central parapet of the gate tower, ready to warn of attack from his
Viking countrymen.
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