Pilgrimage to Craswall

by Lady Jane Fairbourn
Every year, usually in June or July, there is a pilgrimage to Craswall Priory, on the border between England and Wales. Anyone who is interested, apply to Lady Jane and I can let you have dates and details.
We start off from Abbey Dore, in the Golden Valley, and the first part of the walk is a sharp uphill climb, followed by the usual mountain track, going along the top of the hill, parallel to the valleys. We then drop down to Michaelchurch Escley, where there is a friendly pub for lunch, with a delightful garden on the banks of the Escley Brook.
The walk continues in the afternoon, through lovely Herefordshire countryside, climbing up for a rest at Crasswall Parish Church and then along to Crasswall Priory for Evensong in the Chapel ruins and a picnic supper in the lovely Crasswall valley. The monks' fishponds are now full of bullrushes and make a delightful setting.
Crasswall is one of three Grandmontine sites in Britain. There were one hundred and fifty priories in all, mostly in France. They were founded in the twelfth century and continued until the eighteenth, always built in the same style.
The walk is about twelve miles. I have done the walk in garb and in the mundane. One year we went in a party from St Briavels. About eight of us, all in garb, wandered around the priory ruins and were given a great welcome.