From Somerset to Waltham Abbey …… “In 1035 a miraculous black marble crucifix or holy rood was discovered by a peasant, after a vision, at Montacute in Somersetshire.
The wealthy and powerful owner of the land, named Tovi the Proud, decided that the cross must be placed in one of the great religious foundations of the country. It was put on a cart pulled by 12 white and 12 red oxen, but when Tovi commanded that the cart should set off the oxen refused to move. As each religious house was mentioned, (Winchester...., Westminster...., Reading...., and so on), the oxen still would not move.
Finally, Tovi remembered the little settlement of Waltham in Essex, where he had a hunting lodge as he was Lord of the Manor, and where there was a tiny Saxon church not much more than a hut. When Tovi mentioned Waltham the oxen set off on their own and walked without direction from Somerset to Waltham. “
So every year we reconstruct the procession with the scouts carrying the cross from Waltham Cross (the lock) to the Abbey church followed by pilgrims, when they arrive at the church they are greeted and welcomed to the town by the Mayor, the Rector and other dignitaries. The procession was followed by an evening service and a walk about the Cloisters followed by cheese and wine provided by the church
The wealthy and powerful owner of the land, named Tovi the Proud, decided that the cross must be placed in one of the great religious foundations of the country. It was put on a cart pulled by 12 white and 12 red oxen, but when Tovi commanded that the cart should set off the oxen refused to move. As each religious house was mentioned, (Winchester...., Westminster...., Reading...., and so on), the oxen still would not move.
Finally, Tovi remembered the little settlement of Waltham in Essex, where he had a hunting lodge as he was Lord of the Manor, and where there was a tiny Saxon church not much more than a hut. When Tovi mentioned Waltham the oxen set off on their own and walked without direction from Somerset to Waltham. “
So every year we reconstruct the procession with the scouts carrying the cross from Waltham Cross (the lock) to the Abbey church followed by pilgrims, when they arrive at the church they are greeted and welcomed to the town by the Mayor, the Rector and other dignitaries. The procession was followed by an evening service and a walk about the Cloisters followed by cheese and wine provided by the church
