The Shrine Of Our Lady Of Walsingham
- About the place
- Visitors information
History
Little Walsingham village in North Norfolk has been a site of Christian Pilgrimage since medieval times. Pilgrims then were invited to pray in the Holy House, or England’s Nazareth, as it was known. This house was built after visions of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, appeared to the then Lady of the Manor, Lady Richeldis de Faverches. According to legend this happened in the year 1061.
Augustinian Canons were invited to come to Walsingham in 1153 to build a Priory church and monastery, and to protect the Holy House by enclosing it in a church. This became a thriving pilgrimage site until the sixteenth century. Pilgrims also came out receive the waters of the wells in the grounds and to pray for healing. All was destroyed in 1538 along with many foundations across England at the Reformation.
Today however, many thousands of pilgrimas and tourists visit Walsingham’s new Shrine. It was built in 1931 with it’s re-created Holy House, enclosed inside the Pilgrim Church. They also visit the beautiful Priory Grounds where the ruins of the Priory and monastery may still be seen along with the well garden. There are woodland walks there too. The annual snow drop walks in early Spring attract many visitors.
The Shrine welcomes all denominations and faiths and many enjoy its peaceful and attractive gardens as well as stopping to explore and pray in the church and Holy House. Pilgrimage programmes run throughout the year and accommodation is available on site and in the village/surrounding towns.
Local Interest
Walsingham Priory Grounds 01328 820259
Tourist Information Office and Shirehall Museum 01328 820510
Wells-Walsingham Light Railway 01328 711630
Walsingham Village Tours 01328 820250
RC National Shrine 01328 820217