HAIGUS PILGRIMAGE WALK - 13 MILES (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE)

ABOUT THE WALK & MY STORY -

! came to Geddingion, near Kettering, on my walk linking together the Eleanor Crosses. It was late in the day when I arrived and I couldn’t do justice to this lovely village or to the church dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. So I came back the following week to just to walk there from Kettering and explore more fully. It proved a delightful 13 mile circular walk, seeing the thatched village of Weekley and its church, then the herds of deer, with fawns in Broughton Park. Finally onto Geddington, along aptly named, Queen Street to the cross, the bridge over the River Ise built in 1250 and onto the only original Eleanor Cross. i explored the church and walked through the village and retraced my steps back to Kettering.

Two days later at my desk, I began writing the walking instructions
linking Geddington and Hardingstone (Northampton) Eleanor Crosses
together. I researched on the Geddington village and church and was
astounded to learn it was, for centuries, a pilgrimage destination to the tomb (shrine) of Hagius. He was a “Chaplain of the church” and died during mass, a potent sign of holiness. The church history notes didn’t mention him! Amazingly, |Ihad missed his tomb in the Lady’s Chapel, so armed with this new research I returned to Kettering and decided to cycle to Geddington and then down to Hardingstone and its newly restored Eleanor Cross. I had only seen it surrounded by boarding and scaffolding, as I walked on to the next cross site at Stony Stratford.

luckily Geddington's church was open as a Parish meeting was being
held. They graciously allowed me to come in and explore the church and see Hagius’s shrine. On the outside walls are pilgrim crosses, but I searched in vain, perhaps they were lightly scratched? However I did find the finger sundial where pilgrims placed a finger in the central hole and from the shadow knew what time it was. I put my finger in but the “clock” was 2 hours slow!

I mounted by bike and rode to Hardingstone, thrilled to have discovered a “lost” pilgrimage destination. This short circular walk takes you to his shrine from Kettering and back. Geddington is a fascinating village with inns and tea-room and makes a pleasant walk fo visit the shrine of o holy man who lived a thousand of years ago. His shrine became widely known for its healing powers but he was never made, officially, a saint.

A separate book details my walk linking the Eleanor Crosses together.

Enjoy discovering.
Happy walking!
Revd. John N. Merrill

Pilgrim badge and signed certificate for successful walkers from John Merrill.

A5 Guide placed in a plastic wrap around cover and signed by John Merrill.

All walkers added to my Walkers Roll of Honour page.