The Ancient Road to Canterbury (the Pilgrims' Porch at Boughton Aluph church)
For some time I've been picking up Goodsall's book on the Pilgrims Way and this spring eventually got around to ordering a copy from a second hand book-shop. I should have doe this sooner as it provides an excellent overview of the old road's history covering the Kent stretch between Westerham and Canterbury.
Robert Goodsall lived in the village of Harritesham and his house was situated just above the Pilgrims' Way. His book entitled 'The Ancient Road to Canterbury' published in 1959 is full of useful cross references to other published articles and books dealing with the old road. Furthermore the book includes 58 illustrations of sites along the the Kent section of the trail as well a fold out map in the rear cover. The only problem with the book is that it has so many references that I've orderd anothe threee books since reading it. For anyone walking the North Downs Way in Kent a copy of Goodsall is well worth the expense.
At Walk Awhile we try and extend our library of Pilgrims Way books and essays for our walkers so that they can explore the history of the old road as they make their way along the trail to Canterbury. Interestingly Goodsall doesn't mention the pilgrims porch at Boughton Aluph church - a picture of it with two of Walk Awhile's walkers is shown above. However Goodsall does include a lovely quote from from Elliston Erwood that states 'There is probably no other road or trackway in the whole of England that can boast such a literature as does this path, around which myth, legand,history, enthusiasm and tradition have combined to weave a very tangled web' Archeologia Cantiana Vol XXXVII.
More details about Walk Awhile, the history of the Pilgrims Way and 5 day holiday along the Pilgrims Way can be found at
http://www.walkawhile.co.uk
