Pilgrims' way

A pilgrim's way or pilgrim way is a standard route that pilgrims take when they go on a pilgrimage in order to reach their destination - usually a holy site or place of worship. These sites may be towns or cities of special significance such as Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Lourdes or Einsiedeln, but also specific point in the countryside such as a hill, spring, well, cave or shrine. On the route there are stations where pilgrims can stop and rest, where prayers may be said or religious services observed.

In the Middle Ages there were three main Christian pilgrimage sites: Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela. The large pilgrimage sites were often the graves of important apostles. The most famous pilgrims' way today is the one to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, known as the Way of St. James. Another very old pilgrim way, the Via Francigena, runs from Canterbury in England through France and Switzerland to Rome. These routes were also linked to Jerusalem via the Jerusalem Way. For example, individual sections may be viewed by as the Way of St. James as well as a pilgrim way to another place. Together with the various approach paths these main routes form a network of old pilgrim routes that cross the whole of Europe. Today there are St. James societies in almost all European countries that are dedicated to the research and maintenance of the Way of St. James. In Germany the historical pilgrim ways are researched by the German St. James Society (Deutsche St. Jakobus-Gesellschaft). In Switzerland this is carried out by the Union of the Friends of the Way of St. James (Vereinigung der Freunde des Jakobsweges).

Pilgrims' Way

The Pilgrims' Way (also Pilgrim's Way or Pilgrims Way) is the historical route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent. This name, of comparatively recent coinage, follows closely a pre-existing ancient trackway dated by archaeological finds to 500–450 BC, but has probably been in existence since the stone age. The prehistoric route followed the "natural causeway" east to west on the southern slopes of the North Downs.

The course was dictated by the natural geography: it took advantage of the contours, avoided the sticky clay of the land below but also the thinner, overlying "clay with flints" of the summits. In places a coexisting ridgeway and terrace way can be identified; the route followed would have varied with the season, but it would not drop below the upper line of cultivation. The trackway ran the entire length of the North Downs, leading to and from Folkestone: the pilgrims would have had to turn away from it, north along the valley of the Great Stour near Chilham, to reach Canterbury.

Pilgrims' Way (band)

Pilgrim's Way are an English folk band, formed in 2010. In 2011, they were nominated for the New Horizons award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2012.

The band

Describing themselves as "Refreshingly different, reassuringly traditional", Pilgrims' Way are a 4-piece band from North West England, who rapidly became known in 2011 as one of the most prolific folk groups in the United Kingdom. The band's influences are varied but they share a deep respect for the tradition and take as their inspiration some of the most influential bands from the 1960s/1970s revival.

Named for the Rudyard Kipling poem, set to music by Peter Bellamy, their self-stated aim is to "present gimmick-free English folk of the finest kind".

The four band members, Edwin Beasant, Lucy Wright, Tom Kitching and Jon Loomes play a wide range of instruments, often changing between them many times during sessions, which enables the band to play a very diverse repertoire of music.

Awards

2011 - FATEA Magazine Tradition award winner
2012 - Spiral Earth Debut album award - nominee
2012 - BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards New Horizons award - nominee