History of Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

By Steve Willimott

There are two shrines at Walsingham, one Anglican and one Roman Catholic.

The Anglican Shrine:-
The Shrine Church is situated in beautiful grounds close to the centre of the medieval village of Little Walsingham.
Built in the twentieth century the Shrine Church is where the Holy House is located - a replica of the home in Nazareth of Joseph, Mary and Jesus (the Holy Family).
Within the Holy House is the image of Our Lady of Walsingham, carved in 1922 and copied from the seal of the medieval Priory which was suppressed in 1538.
This modern church reminds us of unbroken pilgrimage for about a thousand years. The unique spirit of Walsingham is there amongst the pilgrims, as people of all ages celebrate and pray together.
In addition to pilgrimage devotions, there are daily celebrations of the Eucharist, Evening Prayer, and Shrine Prayers - the daily offering of all prayer requests received by email, telephone and letter.

The Roman Catholic Shrine:-
Walsingham, in north Norfolk, has been a place of pilgrimage since medieval times, when travel to Rome and Compostella was virtually impossible. The original Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, founded in 1061, was destroyed at the Reformation.
Many barren years passed until the Slipper Chapel, a 14th century wayside pilgrim chapel, was restored and pilgrimage to Walsingham began once more.
In 1934, the English Bishops named the Slipper Chapel the Roman Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady.