Walk traces Saxon legend of intrigue and miracles (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Walk traces Saxon legend of intrigue and miracles

ST KENELM'S Way is a new long distance

footpath stretching from the West Midlands across the heart of the Worcestershire and Gloucestershire countryside to Winchcombe in the Cotswolds. Gerry Stewart, of Countryside Matters, Alderton, who aims to produce descriptions of pleasant walking through Gloucestershire and the Vale of Evesham with a strong local connotation and depth of feeling for the old footpath ways though the countryside, has

written a book St Kenelm's Way, from Clent to Cotswold, which details the 60-mile route. Here he talks to reporter Gerry Barnett.

"THE St Kenelm's Way is a route which traces a Saxon legend of intrigue and miracle which arose from the murder of the young Mercian prince Kenelm, grandson of the famous Offa, in the royal forests of Clent," he said.

The legend of St Kenelm was first recorded by a monk at Worcester Abbey and tells of the murder of the young prince while on a hunting trip to the forests of Clent from the Mercian Palace at Winchcombe.

"When his death was discovered the prince's body was carried in ceremonious procession back towards Winchcombe and at every place the cortege rested, so it is said, a spring of clear

water gushed forth from the ground," Mr Stewart said.

Mr Stewart, author of several long distance walking guides, has known of the Kenelm legend for many years but pointed out: "Like many others, I was aware of the background but hazy on the detail."

He explained: "A chance revisit to St Kenelm's Well on the hills above Winchcombe prompted further research and led to a visit to St Kenelm's Church at Romsley, close to Halesowen, and the wonderful expanse of the Clent Hills.

"This distant view of Bredon Hill with the blue line of the Cotswolds behind convinced me that a walk linking them was a very worthwhile project and that the unfolding story of Kenelm would intrigue many walkers."

The Legend of St Kenelm states that on his death, Offa, King of Mercia, was succeeded by his son-in-law Kenulf who resided at the Royal Palace at Winchcombe with his wife, Alfritton, their son, Kenelm, and daughters, Borwenilda and Quenride.

Quenride grew envious of her brother and conspired with the prince's tutor to murder him and so, while on a hunting trip to the royal forests of Clent, as Kenelm lay asleep, the treacherous servant killed him and buried his body at the foot of a thorn tree.

Many years later a strange tale arose of a white cow which lay each day under a thorn tree, eating no food but was always sleek with udders full of milk. Although this attracted much interest to the place, called Cowbacke, Kenelm's body remained undiscovered until one day a white dove flew into St Peter's in Rome and dropped a scrap of paper upon the alter which read: 'In Klent in Cowbacke, Kenelm, king child, lieth under a thorn, his head taken from him'.

The Pope sent a message to Archbishop Wulfred of England who ordered the monks of Winchcombe Abbey to make a search at Clent and when they learned of the miracle of the white cow they soon found the body of Kenelm.

On taking it up, however, a powerful spring of clear water emerged from the ground and when the people of Worcestershire heard of this miracle they demanded that the body should remain in their care. But it was agreed that, by God's will, whichever party awoke first from the night's rest, near Pershore, should have custody of the holy remains. The Winchcombe monks awoke and had gone five miles before the Worcester men stirred and so carried the body triumphantly to Winchcombe and wherever they rested on their journey a crystal spring gushed forth from the ground.

Two Saxon stone coffins in St Peter's at Winchcombe are believed to be those of Kenelm and his father, Kenulf. St Kenelm's Way, From Clent to Cotswold, is published by Countryside Matters at £5.95 and is available from most Tourist Information Centres and bookshops or directly from the publishers at 15 Orchard Road, Alderton, Tewkesbury, Glos.