E X T E N S I O N MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGES Medieval society was often divided sharply1 into rich and poor people. But on a pilgrimage, people from all walks of life2 could meet and travel together. For thousands of years, people have travelled to various religious sites for different reasons. However, there was never a more popular time for religious pilgrimages than during the Middle Ages. In medieval times, people made long trips to Medieval badge seller visit the relics or resting places of saints. Many of these journeys could take months and often the travellers never returned because travelling to an unknown destination had its risks. There were many places along popular pilgrim routes3 which catered for4 travellers, but one of the earliest forms of hospitality was the monastery. During the Middle Ages it was traditional for anyone who presented themselves at a monastery door to be given food and shelter5. However, as the number of pilgrims increased, there were simply too many people to be housed in monastic buildings and so inns and boarding houses6 offered an alternative. Here, people told stories 1. 2. 3. 4. sharply: clearly. walks of life: social classes. routes: ways. catered for: provided what necessary. 5. shelter: a place to stay. 6. boarding houses: private houses where people pay to sleep and eat. was The Pilgrims (A. G. Webster, 1876-1917) 24