Sigéric of Canterbury

Sigéric , archbishop of Canterbury (from 989 to 994), is at the origin of the oldest description of the Via Francigena , way of driving pilgrimage of the north from Europe in Rome.

In 989 or 990, Sigéric went to Rome to receive the Pallium there hands of the Pope. The route of its return voyage, in 80 stages of approx. 20 km, is known by a manuscript. It is on the basis of this route, in the past attested even that of Compostelle, than was marked out the current route.

Sigéric is also mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronique , under the name of Siric or Serio. It is him which advised, in 991, to pay for the first time a tribute (of 10 ' 000 pounds) with the Danes.

Route of Sigéric

The route of the return voyage of Sigéric is known by a short text appearing in a manuscript of the British Library (ms. Knitting machine Tiberius B.v., folios 34 and 35).

In Italy (Latium):

Rome (I Urbs Roma)
Storta (It Johannis VIIII)
Baccano (III Bacane)
Sutri (IIII Suteria)
Vetralla (V Furcari)
Bullicame close to Viterbe (VI Sce Valentine)
Montefiascone (VII Sce Flaviane)
Bolsène/Bolsena (VIII Sca Cristina)

In Italy (Ombrie):

Acquapendente (IX Aquapendente)
Put Voltole (X Sce Petir in Pail.)
Briccole (XI Abricula)

In Italy (Tuscan):

San Quirico d' Orcia (XII Sce Quiric.)
Torrenieri (XIII Turreiner.)
Laying of ARBIA (XIV ARBIA)
His/Siena (XV Seocine)
Badia has Isola (XVI Burgenove)
Pieve d' Elsa (XVII Aelse)
Molino d' Aiano (XVIII Sce Martin in Pit)
San Gimignano (XIX Sce Gemiane)
Santa Maria has Chianni (XX Sce Maria Glan)
Coiano (XXI Sce Peter Currant.)
Borgo Santo Genesio (XXII Sce Dionisii)
Fucecchio (XXIII Arne Blanca)
Ponte has Cappiano (XXIII Aqua Nigra)
Porcari (XXV Forcri)
Lucques/Lucca (XXVI Luca)
Camaiore (XXVII Campmaior)

In Italy (Ligurie):

Luni (XXVIII Luna)
Santo Stefano di Magra (XXIX Sce Stephan)
Aulla (XXX Aguilla)
Pontremoli (XXXI Puntremel.)
Montelungo (XXXII Sce Benedicte)
Berceto (XXXIII Sce Moderanne)
Fornovo Taro or Felegara (XXXIV Philemangenur.)
Medesano (XXXV Metane)
Fidence/Fidenza (XXXVI Sce Domnine)
Fiorenzuola d' Arda (XXXVII Floricum)

In Italy (Emilie-Romagna):

Pleasure/Piacenza (XXXVIII Placentia)
Corte San Andrea (XXXIX Sce Andrea)
Santa Cristina (XL Sce Cristine)

In Italy (Piedmont):

Pavia/Pavia (XLI Pamphica)
Tromello (XLII Tremel.)
Verceil/Vercelli (XLIII Vercel.)
Santhià (XLIV Sca Agath.)
Ivrée/Ivrea (XLV Everi)

In Italy (Valley of Aoste):

Bridge-Saint-Martin (XLVI Publei)
Aoste (XLVII Agusta)
Saint-Rhémy-in-Bumps (XLVIII Sce Remei)

In Switzerland (starting from the collar of the Large Saint-Bernard):

Bourg-saint-Pierre (XLIX Petrecastel.)
Orsières (L Ursiores.)
Saint-Maurice (LI Sce Maurici)
LII Burbulei.
Vevey (LIII Vivaec.)
Lausanne (LIV Losanna)
Sphere (LV Urba)

In France:

LVI Antifern.
Pontarlier (LVII Punterlin.)
LVIII Our.
Besancon (LIX Bysiceon)
LX Cuscei.
LXI Sefui.
LXII Grenant.
LXIII Oisma.
LXIV Blaecuile.
Bar-sur-Aube (LXV Bar.)
LXVI Breone.
LXVII Domaniant.
LXVIII Funtaine.
Châlons-sur-Marne (LXIX Chateluns.)
Rheims (LXX Rems)
LXXI Corbunei.
LXXII Mundlothuin.
LXXIII Martinwaeth.
LXXIV Duin.
Arras (LXXV Atherats)
Bruay LXXVI Bruwaei.
Thérouanne LXXVII Teranburh.
LXXVIII Gisne. (there is no number LXIX)
Somber (LXXX Sumeran.)

Then, Sigéric crossed the English Channel and went to Canterbury. This part of the route is not mentioned in the manuscript.

External bonds

Association Via Francigena. European institute of the cultural routes.

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