Intrepid villager sets up fascinating 18-mile pilgrimage in the Harborough district

An intrepid Harborough villager has set up a fascinating new 18-mile pilgrimage in Leicestershire.

Phil Gilbert, 64, has created St Morrell’s Round supported by his wife Mary after they moved to Hallaton five years ago.

And the enterprising couple, who have five children and two grandchildren, are proud that the first person to complete the history-packed journey is their eldest son John.

“We moved to Hallaton in 2016.

“I was fascinated to hear from local historian John Morison about how a chapel dedicated to St Morrell had been rediscovered at the top of Hare Pie bank two years earlier.

“The chapel was built by the Norman overlords in about AD1250 and was dedicated to the Bishop of Angers who had died in AD453,” said Phil.

“It had been the destination of pilgrims for nearly 300 years until pilgrimage was outlawed in Britain by King Henry VIII.

“One of the reasons that we moved to Hallaton was beautiful surrounding countryside.

“And while we were exploring, I began to think about the idea of creating a pilgrimage drawing on our experience of walking the Camino di Santiago across northern Spain.”

Phil, who studied engineering at Durham University, said they set about carving out a “great walking route” during the first Covid lockdown in spring last year.

He said the course had to follow established rights of way, was achievable in one day or more, was accessible by public transport and combined points of interest on the Norman history and pilgrimage theme.

“At exactly the same time a project to reinter the skeletons found during the excavation of the Chapel in the medieval crypt under St Michael’s Church in Hallaton was announced by Denis Kenyon and John Morison.

“This provided the trigger to launch the pilgrimage in conjunction with the crypt project,” said Phil.

“We know that bringing people here benefits the community and local businesses.

“And pilgrims who complete the route can apply for a Pilgrim’s Certificate of Achievement and also have the opportunity to make a donation to the Crypt restoration project.

“The pilgrimage starts and finishes at the museum on Churchgate in Hallaton next to St Michael’s church.

“It goes on to pass Hallaton Castle on its way to Tugby, where the Norman window in the tower would have been visible to any passing pilgrims.

“The walk then goes to the isolated church at Loddington.

“And as it crosses the ridges of high Leicestershire it passes fragments of the ancient Leighfield Forest that once covered the whole area.

“The Launde Big Wood on the route is conserved and shows exactly the kind of woodland that pilgrims walked through on their way to Hallaton,” added Phil.

“The far point of the route is Launde Abbey.

“It was built in 1099 as an Augustine Priory and later taken by Thomas Cromwell whilst he was working for Henry VIII just as the tradition of pilgrimage was brought to an end in 1538.

“From Launde the walk follows the beautiful Chater valley as far as Leigh Lodge before turning to return to Hallaton via Belton and Allexton,” said Phil.

You can find out more about Hallaton Museum here: https://www.hallaton-museum.co.uk