STAMP collectors are wanted, but only if they can follow in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims.
Plans to revive an historic route that was once used to help prepare people for the Santiago de Compostela in Spain have taken another big step forward with the introduction of pilgrim stamps at public houses along the route.
The pilgrimage starts at St James Church in The Forbury, and finishes at God’s House Tower, Southampton.
The route, called the St James Way, is a staging post for pilgrims heading to the tomb of St James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in the Spanish city of Galicia.
Although it has fallen out of use in recent years, attempts to resurrect the pilgrims way in hand, and the stamp collection is part of the campaign.
Pilgrims can collect the stamps in a credencial – a pilgrim passport – by visiting pubs and churches on the route, in an echo of what happens in Spain, where every café offers a pilgrim stamp, and these pubs are their English equivalent.
There are 13 stamps to collect, and the first stop is The Cunning Man at Burghfield.
Hayley Goodrick, the pub’s general manager, said: “All of us here at The Cunning Man are delighted to be able to offer this novel pilgrim stamp service.
“We are excited to receive our first walkers and families on the St James’ Way and stamp their pilgrim passports.
“They will be warmly welcomed by all of the team.”
The passport grants the holder access to accommodation at pilgrim hostels and the right to a special “pilgrim’s menu” at restaurants in Spain. And, if filled with stamps – and a minimum of two stamps per day for the last 100km of the Camino – a pilgrim may claim at the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago a devotional “Compostela” certificate, recognising their achievement and the distance they have walked.
Pilgrim passports may be obtained from the Confraternity of St. James’ website or at Reading Museum, who also hold a stamp.
Additionally, God’s House Tower will award a certificate to anyone who presents a completed passport with stamps collected while walking the St James’ Way from Reading.
Work on signposting the pilgrim route all the way from Reading to Southampton is progressing well and is expected to be finished by Monday, July 25, the feast day of St James.
David Sinclair, a CSJ volunteer leading this project, said: “Many pilgrims treasure the stamps in their passport.
“Thanks to the cooperation of the pubs on the St James’ Way, they now have greater choice and access to fill them with stamps.
“We are grateful for their support in the developing the essence of this UK Camino.”
For more details, log on to: www.csj.org.uk
