Walking the path

The Paulinus Way starts in Todmorden on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border and retraces the steps of St Paulinus until it reaches the city of York.

Paulinus lived quietly as a monk in Rome. But in 601 Pope Gregory sent him on a challenging mission to convert Britain to Christianity.

When Paulinus arrived, Britain was largely Pagan, with a very different culture and climate to that of Rome. The differences were more marked when this quiet missionary travelled North. But despite the challenges, Paulinus helped lay the foundations of Christianity in Britain.

The Paulinus Way follows part of the saint’s mission to Yorkshire, with sites of interest along the way. At Dewsbury, on the banks of the River Calder, Paulinus preached the Gospel and baptised the faithful in AD 627. Shortly after, a wooden church was built nearby.

Over time the wood was replaced with Yorkshire stone and became Dewsbury Minster. Today, it houses the only remaining fragments of the Paulinus Cross, an intricately carved monument to St Paulinus dating back to the 9th Century.

The Paulinus Way takes in other sanctuaries and markers commemorating St Paulinus’ mission. It ends at York Minster, where Paulinus would go on to become the first Bishop. 

For further information and route map, click to visit the British Pilgrimage Trust website.

Image: A window from Dewsbury Minster (No Swan So Fine, via Wikimedia Commons)