Richeldis
de Faverches, a Saxon noblewoman, was married to the Lord of the Manor
of Walsingham. In 1061 Richeldis de Faverches had a vision where she
was taken in sprit to Nazareth and asked by Mary to build an exact
replica of the house in Nazareth where Gabriel had announced the news
of the birth of Jesus. It is also claimed that the Holy House was
miraculously constructed while Richeldis kept a vigil of prayer. This
house became known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The
first important pilgrims to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
were members of the Clare family who arrived with the Normans
in 1066. Richard Fitz Gilbert, the
first Earl of Clare, was granted
great estates in Norfolk by William
the Conqueror.
In
about 1150 Geoffrey de Faverches arranged for the building of a priory
in Walsingham next to the Holy House. Royal patronage helped the shrine
to grow in wealth and popularity and received visits from Henry
III, Edward II and Edward
III. It also benefited from being mentioned in the work of William
Langland.
In
1346 the canon of Walsingham reported that owing to the great value
of the jewels and other offerings at the shrine the priory gates had
to be locked at night. The following year he objected to Elizabeth
de Burgh, Countess of Clare, establishing a Franciscan Friary in Walsingham,
warning that it might result in the decline of people willing to give
money to the Shrine of Our Lady.
Some
people disapproved of the money that was given to Walsingham Priory.
In the 14th century the religious shrine came under attack from John
Wycliffe and the Lollards.
Walsingham
remained popular with pilgrims in Tudor times. Henry
VII visited the shrine several times and records show that Henry
VIII stayed at Barsham Manor and then walked two miles barefoot
to Walsingham where he placed a "gold circlet round Our Lady's
neck".
In
1513 Erasmus visited Walsingham and described
the shrine as being surrounded "on
all sides with gems, gold and silver." He also added that the
water from the Walsingham spring was "efficacious in curing pains
of the head and stomach."
In
April 1537, Henry VIII gave instructions
to Richard Southwell, to remove the wealth held at the religious shrine
at Walsingham. When a group of local men complained they were arrested
and on 30th May, 1537, eleven men, including Nicholas Myleham, the
canon of Walsingham, were hanged, beheaded and quartered at Yarmouth,
Lynn, Norwich and Walsingham.
Walsingham
in 2002
(1)
Erasmus
visited in Walsingham in 1513.
When you look in you would
say it is the abode of saints, so brilliantly does it shine on all
sides with gems, gold and silver… Our Lady stands in the dark
at the right side of the altar… a little image, remarkable neither
for its size, material or workmanship.
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