Norfolk to join major pilgrimage network 

Norfolk is to become the first UK member of the ancient pilgrimage route of St Olav, a trail that celebrates the first Christian King and Patron Saint of Norway.

St Olav Ways is an accredited Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, one of 49 routes that cross over 46 countries and which attract millions of tourists every year. St Olav Ways connects Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and now the UK.

Through an initiative of Norwich Cathedral and Norfolk County Council, the historic connections between Norway, Norfolk and other parts of the United Kingdom will be explored in a special event  held at Norwich Cathedral on Tuesday 10 September attended by experts from Norway and a representative of the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The workshop has attracted churches and heritage sites dedicated to the 11th century Norwegian warrior King, and later Saint Olav, from the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, London, Cumbria, Chester and York. The final destination of pilgrims is the tomb of St Olav in Nidaros Cathedral, in the city of Trondheim in Norway, which has attracted pilgrims from across northern Europe since the 11th century. Now, as an established part of the Cultural Routes’ Programme of the Council of Europe, this pilgrimage route, linking heritage sites and crossing diverse landscapes, is busier than ever attracting thousands of pilgrims every year.

Hans Morten Lovrod, Director, National Pilgrimage Centre, Trondheim and Manager of St Olav Ways is delighted that the UK’s historic connections to St Olav have been recognised, and that through the membership of Norfolk County Council, and hopefully other regions of the UK, new and exciting links can be forged with Norway and wider Scandinavia.

He said: “It is important that we highlight the connections between Olav Haraldsson and Britain and that we acknowledge his influence through his conversion to Christianity. We are very pleased to discover a variety of churches and heritage sites connected with St Olav and delighted to have the UK as member of our Cultural Route.”

Pilgrimage continues to connect the rich Christian traditions of Norfolk and its 650 medieval churches – the greatest concentration in the world – with contemporary society in the UK and now with other parts of Northern Europe.

The Revd Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian of Norwich Cathedral said: “The story of the Scandinavian encounter with Britain represented by St Olav, both before and after his death, is one of enmity turned to friendship by means of a shared faith. Those shared values continue to bind the United Kingdom and Norway and will be strengthened by our pilgrimage links.”

Norfolk already has its well-known pilgrimage route, the Walsingham Way, and also has its own St Olaves village with a priory dedicated to the Saint, but the county is keen to develop further pilgrim routes because of the contribution they can make to highlighting Norfolk’s rich heritage, to the development of sustainable tourism and to local economic development, particularly in rural areas.

Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, Norfolk County Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “Norfolk County Council recognises the importance of our heritage in terms of developing our local economy, and this important partnership further enhances our strong cultural tourism offer, supporting our rural communities and sharing our museums and countryside with visitors to our beautiful County.”

Professor Mike Robinson, an expert on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, said: “With Norfolk joining St Olav Ways, there are now 17 Cultural Routes represented in the UK. The Routes are an excellent way of exploring our rich heritage and stimulating local economic development and cultural exchange, through sustainable tourism.” 

Pictured: St Olav altarpiece at Nidaros Cathedral. Picture by Elisa Kartum