OVER 100 Ludlow Palmers and their supporters walked, cycled and travelled to Hereford Cathedral in the climax to their Bank Holiday Pilgrimage Weekend.

Starting on May 26, a small bank of pilgrims in medieval costume walked the 30-miles over three days to recreate a 15th century pilgrimage from St Laurence Church to the shrine of St Thomas de Cantilupe at Hereford Cathedral. Like their medieval ancestors, these costumed pilgrims made overnight stops at Leominster Priory and Marden Parish Church.

On the Bank Holiday Monday, these 'medieval' pilgrims were joined by their modern-day counterparts as dozens of people walked from Marden, Herefordshire - the site of the 8th century martyrdom of King Ethelbert of East Anglia - to Hereford Cathedral which is dedicated to his memory.

Upon arriving at Hereford Cathedral on Monday afternoon, the Dean, the Very Revd Michael Tavinor, presented each pilgrim with a specially-commissioned pilgrim's badge of St Thomas de Cantilupe. This was followed by a Pilgrims' Evensong, with procession to the Cathedral's medieval shrines, sung by the choir of St Laurence Church.

The Ludlow Palmers' Pilgrimage Weekend included a Ludlow town shop window competition. Kay's Kreations won first prize, with Harp Lane Deli and Oxfam Book Shop as joint second-place winners.

The Place of Pilgrimage: The Marches art exhibition, featuring water colour pictures of the local regions by noted artist Ian Scott Massie at St Laurence church was a resounding success for the Ludlow Palmers. Over £3000 in paintings were sold during the month-long exhibition.

Altogether, over £6000 was raised by the Ludlow Palmers for the repair and conservation of Ludlow's St Laurence Church and its national treasures. More information is found at: ludlowpalmers.uk