Our Lady of Walsingham is one of England’s most significant Marian shrines, with origins tracing back to the 11th century. King Henry VIII ordered the shrine to be destroyed in 1538 when he schismed from the Church.
Read the full Our Lady of Walsingham novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
What is the story of Our Lady of Walsingham?
According to tradition, in 1061 a Saxon noblewoman named Richeldis de Faverches received a vision of the Virgin Mary in the village of Walsingham, Norfolk. In this vision, Mary instructed her to build a replica of the Holy House of Nazareth, where the Annunciation had taken place.
Richeldis constructed a wooden chapel, which became known as the Holy House of Walsingham, marking the beginning of what would become one of medieval Europe’s most important pilgrimage destinations.
During the medieval period, Walsingham flourished as a major pilgrimage site, earning the title “England’s Nazareth.” The shrine attracted pilgrims from across Europe, including numerous English monarchs such as Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, and Henry VIII (before the Reformation).
The Augustinian Priory was established around 1153 to care for the shrine and pilgrims, and the site became renowned for miraculous healings and answered prayers. The famous pilgrimage route, known as the Walsingham Way, stretched from London to Norfolk, with pilgrims often walking barefoot for the final mile as an act of devotion.
The shrine’s prominence came to an abrupt end during the English Reformation when Henry VIII ordered its destruction in 1538. The Holy House was demolished, the statue of Our Lady was burned, and the priory was dissolved.
For nearly 400 years, Walsingham remained largely forgotten as a pilgrimage destination. However, in the 20th century, both Anglican and Roman Catholic devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham experienced a remarkable revival. The Anglican shrine was restored in 1922 under the guidance of Father Alfred Hope Patten, while the Roman Catholic shrine was re-established in 1934.
Today, both shrines continue to attract thousands of pilgrims annually, making Walsingham once again a vibrant center of Marian devotion and an important pilgrimage site in England.
Novena text is credited to https://olwcatholic.org/