The Medieval Pilgrim

Since the early days of mankind there seems to have been an urge to travel. The undertaking of arduous journeys to visit a sacred, or magical place seems to be an integral part of the human psyche. The peak of English pilgrimage was during the medieval period. Some pilgrims spent large sums of money and risked their lives to travel to the Holy Land to see the places where Jesus had lived and died. The other major destinations, and closer to home, were Rome and Santiago de Compostela. Yet most pilgrimages were of a day or two to local shrines. Pilgrimage could be made as a form of personal devotion, to ask for a cure of illness or in thankfulness for help from the saints. This book explores the stories of the people who went on pilgrimage. Where did they go? What inspired them to make the journey? What hardships would they endure on the way? What would they experience when they arrived at their destination. Would there be miracles? and how would their life be changed when they returned home. The history of pilgrimage is the story of people, their hopes and fears, in this life and the next. AUTHOR: Michael J. Brown has an MA in Garden History and has been interested in both history and gardening for as long as he can remember. As a child, Michael was allowed to have a patch of ground to grow whatever he liked. His mother called the plants 'Weeds'. He called them wild flowers. Michael has been a Head Gardener, a college lecturer and designed the medieval gardens at the Prebendal Manor, Nassington, including poisonous plants. He now gives talks and demonstrations on historical gardening and medieval pilgrimage. He has also been researching medieval religion and has recreated medieval pilgrimages since 1982, travelling in Britain, France and Spain, as authentically as possible. 80 b/w illustrations