St Morrell's round in two halves

Saturday from Hallaton Museum, Churchgate, Hallaton, LE16 8TY or on Sunday from Launde Abbey, near Loddington, LE7 9XB

The St Morrell’s Round is a circular Pilgrimage which was inspired by the pilgrimages made to the rediscovered Chapel of St Morrell over a period of about 300 years ending at the reformation. The pilgrimage visits sites of interest and relevance to that period and is 18 miles through hilly High Leicestershire and Rutland.

Two guided walks on consecutive days each of 9 miles along the St Morrell's Round pilgrimage through High Leicestershire and Rutland.

The walks can be undertaken separately. There is no need to book both.

Walkers are responsible for arranging their own transport back to the start at the end of each day, although the organisers will try to help co-ordinate.

Accommodation can also be booked at Launde Abbey by contacting their Reception Desk 01572 717254 or [email protected]

St Morrell’s Round is inspired by the medieval pilgrimages made to St Morrell’s Chapel on the hillside near Hallaton.

Morrell who died in AD453 was Bishop of Anger in NW France. He went into self-imposed exile overseas before returning to be beatified for performing the miracle of Renatus, which is shown on a mural in Anger cathedral. Some eight hundred years later a Norman overlord built a chapel in Hallaton and dedicated it to St Morrell. This is the only church in Britain mentioning Morrell and so it might have been believed that Morrell’s exile was in Hallaton. We know that it was a pilgrimage destination for at least the next three hundred years. The chapel was rediscovered in 2014 and work is ongoing to restore the crypt of St Michael’s Church, Hallaton, to re-inter the remains found in the Chapel.

The pilgrimage on 20th July starts at Hallaton Museum on Churchgate in Hallaton next to St Michael’s church where there is evidence of an external pulpit built to address gathered pilgrims.

We will visit the site of the lost Chapel of St Morrell before leaving Hallaton on a medieval road passing its notable motte and bailey castle. The walk then passes the Churches of St Thomas a Beckett in Tugby and St Michaels in Loddington. These fine churches, built from the local ironstone, contain features which are from the time when the medieval pilgrims were passing.

The route continues across the ridges of high Leicestershire where it passes fragments of ancient woodland – including the Launde Big Wood, which is conserved, and shows exactly the kind of woodland that pilgrims walked through on their way to Hallaton before the land was cleared for agriculture.

The finish point of this half day route is Launde Abbey, originally built in 1099 as an Augustine Priory and later taken by Thomas Cromwell.

The start point of this half day route on Sunday 21st July is Launde Abbey, There is a public restaurant at Launde and accommodation further information on accommodation can be viewed via Launde Abbey's website.

The walk returns initially along the Leicester Round then passing the hunting lodge of the Leighfield Forest, before reaching Belton-in-Rutland and re-joining the Leicester round to Allexton. St Peters church contains two fine Norman arches, and this can be seen before the climb and then descent back to Hallaton and its Museum.

Booking a ticket is essential to guarantee your place