very cool! I can add it to my list for future research.
some more tidbits that I collected over the years. there are surprisingly few.
An 18C chronicle (for 1755 Nov 7) by Fray MartĂn Sarmiento describes the route in El Bierzo thus:
...
salĂ del Puente Domingo FlĂłrez…A Hermita [sic] de San Roque-Cuesta de ValdebrĂa. Izquierda Quereño… MĂ©dulas, feligresĂa. PasĂ© por el lugar y las torres de tierra colorada están a la derecha sobre el lugar… Al acabar la cuesta de Las MĂ©dulas, se ve a la izquierda el lago de Caruzedo, y un pantanoso valle de oriente a poniente. Borrenes feligresĂa. Vese a la derecha el Castillo de Cornatelo, en un castro.- Cuesta, baxada de Borrenes…- RĂo Ferreyros.- Santalla…- Prearanza.- Villalibre feligresĂa. Medio dĂa RĂo Oza (que viene de Montes) y rĂo arriba el lugar de Toral.- Ponferrada. La dexe a la izquerda entre los dos rĂos y dos puentes.- Campo.- Molina Seca. Noche.
= '...left Puente de Domingo FlĂłrez ... at Ermitage of st Roque ascended along ValdebrĂa. Left Quereño... MĂ©dulas. Passed through the place and the towers of red earth are on the right above the place... At the end of the ascent of Las MĂ©dulas, went left to Lago de Carucedo, and a swampy valley from east to west. Borrenes. On the right see Castillo de Cornatel, a fortress.- Ascent, descent from Borrenes...- River Ferreyros.- Santalla...- Priaranza.- Villalibre de la JurisdicciĂłn. Noon at river Oza (which comes from Montes) and upstream to Toral de Merayo.- Ponferrada. Is left between two rivers and two bridges.- Campo.- Molinaseca. Night.'
An abbot from Colegiata de Villafranca has, on one of his regural visits around the province, also visited iglesia s Vicente in Borrenes
in 1701 and left instructions that, despite low resources, the hospital is to be reestablished and a space for poor pilgrims be provided – a couple of
guebos and some food.
Some ill
pilgrims also died here and were
buried in the hospital cemetery. In 1714 Dec 25 a pilgrim from France, in 1715 a poor German, and in 1729 José Dorado, a sergeant, which went to Santiago because of his disability.
On
1806 May 21 was in the church
in Entoma baptised una parbula, hija de una viuda que dio a luz en este pueblo el diez y nuebe de mayo de mil ochocientos y seis, veniendo de Santiago en peregrinaciĂłn. Era vecina de Santa Marina del Rey, en la Rivera del Orbigo.
(Archivo Diocesano de Astorga, 26/28 Bl., fol. 17v; from R. L. Caneda,
El Camino de Santiago en Valdeorras, 1993.)
On
1712 Oct 30 a
pilgrim died and was buried in
VillamartĂn:
En treinta de Octubre de mil setezientos y doze se enterrĂł el cadaver de una pegrina que yba para le PatrĂłn de Santiago en Galicia. Dijo que se llamaba Isavel; el sobrenombre no se lo pude entender. Era natural del Reino de Navarra. Está sepultada en la Parroquial de san Jorge de VillamartĂn, abajo de las Puertas del Sol. No deve fosario por ser pobre. Y para que conste lo firmo. // Esteban Garcia de Losada
(Archivo Parroqual de VillamartĂn, Libro 2Ëš de Bautizados, Difuntos y Matrimonios, 1676, fol. 118v; from R. L. Caneda,
El Camino de Santiago en Valdeorras, 1993.)
A document from
1566 about the
bridge in Barxa de Lor refers to the residents of the village, concerning the distribution of the sources (560.000mrs) for the construction of the bridge. The letter mentiones the need for repair, as its main arch has fallen, and it was causing much damage to the pilgrims passing through and the connection between Castilla and Santiago. The pilgrims were also extempt from being charged to use the bridge. In the document it is also mentioned the importance of this route in the winter when the snow covers the mountains of Cebreiro. (ARG, Real Audiencia Neighbors, Leg.1182, n. 9)