Walsingham Priory

Walsingham became a major centre of pilgrimage in the 11th century, following a vision of the Virgin Mary to Saxon noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches in 1061. Richeldis was instructed to build a replica of the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth, in honour of the Annunciation. The Holy House was panelled with wood and held a wooden statue of an enthroned Virgin Mary with the child Jesus seated on her lap.

Walsingham became one of Northern Europe's great places of pilgrimage, and remained so through most of the Middle Ages. A priory of Augustinian canons was established on the site in 1153, and grew in importance over the following centuries. Several English kings visited the shrine including Henry III (1231), Edward I (1289 and 1296), Edward II in 1315, and Edward III in 1361. The last English king to make pilgrimage there was Henry VIII, who was later responsible for its destruction. The shrine and abbey perished in the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. Eleven people including the sub-prior of the abbey were hanged, drawn and quartered. Gold and silver from the shrine was taken to London along with the statue of Mary and Jesus, which was burnt.