New pilgrimage routes in Kent are being established to revive the Catholic heritage of England. The routes aim to connect historical sites associated with Catholic figures and events. The initiative seeks to encourage spiritual journeys and exploration of religious history. The project draws inspiration from the pilgrimage traditions of the past, referencing figures like Chaucer.
11 days ago
New pilgrimage routes in Kent, England, are drawing modern pilgrims to trace the steps of medieval travelers described in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. These paths revive the region's Catholic heritage, once centered on St. Thomas Becket's shrine, destroyed by Henry VIII in 1538.1
Kent, known as the "Garden of England," holds deep Christian significance as the landing site of St. Augustine in 597, who evangelized the Anglo-Saxons under Pope St. Gregory the Great.1
The Augustine Camino spans about 70 miles from Rochester Cathedral to the Shrine of St. Augustine in Ramsgate, passing through Canterbury. It typically takes a week and includes stops at Aylesford's Carmelite priory, home to St. Simon Stock, and Canterbury Cathedral, site of Becket's martyrdom in 1170.1
Pilgrims visit St. Martin's Church, the oldest continuously used church in the English-speaking world, and St. Dunstan's Church, which houses St. Thomas More's head relic.1
Created in the early 2010s by Andrew Kelly, director of the St. Augustine Shrine, the route offers self-guided and guided options with a detailed guidebook. Proceeds support route maintenance, and completers can earn a "Compostela" certificate, creditable toward the Camino de Santiago.1
This shorter 19-mile route follows St. Augustine's footsteps from Ramsgate to Canterbury, completable in one or two days. It passes St. Augustine's Cross, where the saint met King Ethelbert to begin England's conversion.1
Established in 2012 by Canon Marcus Holden and John Coverdale, it overlaps much of the Augustine Camino but focuses on key evangelization sites. Traditional Catholic groups, including Dominican friars and the Marian Franciscan Order, regularly use both routes.1
American pilgrims report profound spiritual and historical connections. Pamela Kennedy from Virginia highlighted the cathedrals and village churches, sensing centuries of worship that deepened her faith.1
Pete and Maryanne Christensen, inspired by the film The Way, valued the ancient churches—many originally Catholic but now Anglican—and reflected on Henry VIII's dissolution of monasteries like Boxley Abbey.1
Ana Maria Ansanelli slept in churches, feeling protected despite discomfort, and cherished the serenity amid modern busyness.1
Pilgrimage serves as a "physical expression of faith," turning each step into prayer and fostering gratitude. Dominican Father Samuel Burke emphasized honoring saints like St. Simon Stock to draw closer to their lives.1
In a secular society, these walks witness to Christianity and invite others to Christ, challenging pilgrims to explain their motives courageously.1
Father Burke views pilgrimages as a "microcosm of earthly life," symbolizing ascent to God through persistent faith, quoting St. John Henry Newman: "one step enough for me."1
The routes wind through scenic orchards and forests, but pilgrims advise long pants for brambles, hiking poles, and reliable mapping apps like the Augustine GPX file.1
Rest days in Canterbury allow exploration, including Evensong and relics. Andrew Kelly's guidance ensures care, making it ideal for first-time walkers due to its manageable length and flat terrain.1
Reconstruct Catholic pilgrimage traditions in England through historical route revival
Catholic pilgrimage in England has deep roots in the island's Christian heritage, tracing back to the missionary journeys of St. Augustine of Canterbury in the late sixth century and flourishing through medieval shrines that drew devotees from across Europe. These traditions, once vibrant expressions of faith involving processions, relics, and communal devotion, were largely suppressed during the Reformation but have seen a profound revival in modern times. By reconstructing historical routes—such as the paths from coastal landings to Canterbury or the ancient ways to Walsingham—contemporary pilgrims can reconnect with this legacy, fostering spiritual renewal and ecumenical dialogue. This revival not only honors the saints who shaped England's Catholic identity but also aligns with the Church's call to popular piety as a pathway to deeper communion with God.
England's pilgrimage traditions began with the arrival of Christianity, evolving from early evangelization efforts into a network of sacred journeys centered on saints' shrines. The mission led by St. Augustine in 597 marked a pivotal moment, as the monks from Rome landed on the Isle of Thanet and proceeded to Canterbury, where they established the island's first metropolitan see. This route from the southeast coast inland symbolized the Gospel's penetration into Anglo-Saxon territories, with Augustine's group using the old Roman church of St. Martin—Britain's oldest surviving church—as their base for prayer and baptism. St. Martin's dedication evoked the legacy of St. Martin of Tours, whose influence extended to Britain through early missionaries like St. Ninian, underscoring how continental devotions laid the groundwork for local pilgrimage.
By the medieval period, these origins blossomed into widespread pilgrimage practices, where routes were worn by the feet of the faithful seeking miracles and indulgences. Canterbury emerged as England's premier shrine following the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket in 1170. His tomb, translated to a magnificent golden shrine enriched with jewels and papal gifts, attracted kings like Henry II and Richard I, as well as countless pilgrims inspired by Chaucer's tales. The journey often began at ports like Dover or Sandwich, following ancient Roman roads northward to the cathedral, where devotees venerated relics and left votive offerings such as ampullae filled with "miraculous" water from Becket's well. This path not only spiritualized travel but also shaped geography: pilgrims' benefactions leveled roads and built hospices, turning remote areas into centers of faith.
Other routes radiated from key sites, reflecting England's Marian and saintly devotions. Walsingham in Norfolk, England's "Nazareth," drew pilgrims since 1061 to honor the Virgin Mary through a replica of the Holy House. Kings from Henry III onward processed there, and the route from London or eastern ports via the Peddars Way became a "broad way to heaven." Westminster Abbey housed St. Edward the Confessor's incorrupt body in a shrine of gold and silver, canonized in 1161, with pilgrims approaching via the Thames and leaving offerings that wore steps smooth from kneeling. These traditions involved distinctive garb—broad-brimmed hats, scallop shells for Compostela-inspired routes, or bells for Becket—and culminated in processions, such as the annual Friday expositions of relics. Such practices fostered communal penance and joy, effects echoed in the Church's teaching on pilgrimage as a biblical journey of faith, akin to the Israelites' exodus.
Reconstructing these traditions requires identifying and retracing the physical and spiritual contours of medieval paths, adapting them to contemporary contexts while preserving their Catholic essence. The primary route to Canterbury, often called the "Pilgrim's Way," stretched about 120 miles from Winchester or Southampton through Surrey's North Downs to the cathedral. Pilgrims in the Middle Ages joined from coastal arrivals, passing shrines like St. Swithun's in Winchester en route, enduring the journey as an act of mortification. Revival efforts can begin here: modern walkers follow National Trail markers, pausing at historical waypoints like the 12th-century St. Thomas à Becket chapel in Otford, where medieval hostels once sheltered the weary.
The Walsingham pilgrimage revived a 14-mile "Slipper Chapel" approach from the coast, symbolizing the final barefoot stage of devotion. Destroyed in 1538, the shrine was rebuilt in the 1930s, drawing annual processions that echo pre-Reformation crowds of Flemish nobility and English laity. Routes to other sites, such as St. Albans for the proto-martyr or Chichester for St. Richard, involved radial paths from London, often converging on trade roads like Watling Street. These can be revived through guided hikes, incorporating the traditional pilgrim's staff and scallop shell as signs of solidarity with the saints.
Ecclesial documents emphasize that such revivals should harmonize with liturgy, transforming routes into "interior journeys" of conversion. For instance, groups might integrate the Rosary or Stations of the Cross along the way, mirroring how early pilgrims chanted Psalms from Thanet to Canterbury. Challenges include secularization and Reformation-era disruptions—Henry VIII's spoliation of Becket's shrine in 1538 scattered relics and banned processions—but these very wounds invite healing through renewed devotion.
The 20th and 21st centuries have seen concerted efforts to reconstruct these traditions, often led by the Holy See, blending historical fidelity with ecumenical outreach. Pope St. John Paul II's 1982 apostolic visit to Britain was a landmark "pilgrimage through the seven sacraments," retracing Augustine's steps from Canterbury to Scotland. He prayed at Walsingham's statue of Our Lady, a site revered by both Catholics and Anglicans, and invoked St. Thomas Becket as a bridge for unity. This journey revived the ecumenical dimension of medieval pilgrimages, where continental devotees mingled with locals, and culminated in shared renewals of baptismal vows.
In 1989, John Paul II again emphasized Canterbury's role during vespers at the Caelian Hill, calling for a "common inheritance of faith" rooted in Augustine's mission. He signed a declaration with Anglican leaders, urging the retracing of routes to heal 16th-century divisions. His 2004 address to pilgrims from Rochester celebrated the 1,400th anniversary of St. Justus's ordination, explicitly linking their Rome-to-England journey to Augustine's path as a model for full communion. These papal initiatives have inspired organized revivals, such as the annual National Catholic Pilgrimage to Walsingham or the Pilgrim's Way walks organized by dioceses, which incorporate confessions, Masses, and relic veneration.
Today, groups like the Catholic Association and Anglican-Roman Catholic bodies promote route-based pilgrimages, using apps and signage to guide participants. The Directory on Popular Piety endorses this, listing Walsingham among revived shrines that embody national faith identities, cautioning against mere tourism while encouraging symbolic processions like the Via Crucis. Even post-Reformation figures, such as Blessed John Roberts—likened to a "second Augustine" in his 1600s mission—highlight the enduring call to pilgrimage amid persecution. These efforts not only reconstruct physical paths but also spiritual ones, inviting pilgrims to confront modern challenges like secularism through the witness of saints.
In conclusion, reconstructing Catholic pilgrimage traditions in England through historical route revival offers a tangible way to reclaim the island's sacred geography, from Thanet landings to Canterbury's martyr-shrine and Walsingham's Marian haven. By walking these paths, as Augustine's monks and Becket's devotees once did, contemporary Catholics participate in the Church's living tradition, fostering unity and devotion. This revival, guided by papal example and ecclesial wisdom, promises spiritual fruits for individuals and the broader Christian community, echoing the eternal pilgrimage toward the heavenly Jerusalem. May these journeys draw all closer to Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.