History of Little Walsingham

By Steve Willimott

Walsingham is situated 4 miles from the beautiful North Norfolk coast, between Wells-next-the-Sea and Fakenham, and is well worth a visit.

The village has Saxon origins and was mentioned in the Doomsday book. The buildings you see today, date from the Mediaeval period when Walsingham was one of the major European centres of pilgrimage. After the reformation pilgrimage ceased. The modern pilgrimage revival began at the turn of the twentieth century and Walsingham is once again a major centre of pilgrimage with both Roman Catholic and Anglican shrines.