PILGRIMAGE TO RAISE MUCH-NEEDED FUNDS FOR OUR CHURCH

Many of you have heard of the famous pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostella in Northern Spain, much loved by celebrities if they can recount their exploits on television afterwards.

There are also trails nearer home. We have St Bede’s Way from Jarrow to Monkwearmouth, and there are four leading to Durham Cathedral from within the old County of Durham. They are The Way of Life from Gainford, The Way of Light from Hexham, The Way of Love from Hartlepool and the Way of Learning from Jarrow.

In ancient times people often went on Pilgrimages to holy places hoping for a cure. Often the Holy Place would have the relic of a saint.

I came across an account of the Peddars Way in Norfolk where a pilgrim walked all the way from Lowestoft to Castle Acre (near Kings Lynn) and complained that far from a cure his leg got worse!

Durham used to attract many pilgrims to the Shrine of St Cuthbert, which was actually good business for all the city’s lodging houses and inns.

Unfortunately business fell off later in the Middle Ages when the unfortunate St Thomas a Beckett was murdered at Canterbury, and his shrine became to leading pilgrim destination in Britain. It produced the famous “Canterbury Tales” for us.

I taught Religious Education at one time in my life, and told the children how Pilgrims travelling from Hartlepool came to the top of the hill at present day Wheatley Hill and saw the Cathedral for the first time. They made the sign of the cross, or maybe fell silent in awe. Since then the hill has been known as “Signing Bank” or “Silent Bank”

I got some interesting accounts back from the children, such as “When pilgrims arrived from Hartlepool on the TMS (a local bus company) they came to Signing Bank, where people used to sign on in those days.” Not all did not understand the significance of pilgrimage, I hasten to add.

Hartlepool was the home of St Hilda, a powerful woman who founded a Nunnery.

Our Church, St Cuthbert’s in Peterlee, needs money simply to keep the fabric of the church secure.

Although the church has considerable assets, much of this is for clergy pensions, and individual parishes have to raise money to keep themselves going.

The heating broke down early this year so some of us decided to do a Saint’s Walk to raise sponsorship,

The Way of Love does not come to our church, so we decided to make another one linking up two famous Northern Saints, St Cuthbert and St Hilda.

This entailed walking through Castle Eden Dene from St Cuthbert’s Church to the coast, and then along the coast via Crimdon to St Hilda’s on Hartlepool Headland ... about 10 miles, I think.

Professor Susan Pyner and I set off assisted by Louise Fenwick as back-up.

Many supported us, and sponsorship is now over £800 and rising.

The weather was grim, but we made it in four and a half hours with half an hour stop at Durham County Council’s excellent café at Crimdon.

So what was the point of all, except to raise some cash?

Few people go on pilgrimages nowadays looking for a miracle, but many, including us, use it as an opportunity to reflect on our lives and our relationship with God.

If any readers wish to donate to the St Cuthbert’s fabric appeal, then they are very welcome to do so. The link is St Cuthbert’s Church, Sponsored Walk - Give A Little or you can e mail me at David.Taylorgooby@btinternet.com

Thank you very much, and to all those who have supported us already.