Our Lady of Walsingham

England in medieval days was a mixture of Normans, and, Anglo Saxons, which combined the nationalities of Germans, Danish, French and Dutch.

The Normans and the Britons lived side by side with a mutual agreement to close off the sea way to prevent further Viking intrusions, a move that benefited both countries. And it was in 1042 that Edward the Confessor took the Throne of England.

But conditions during this period were less than sanitary, as diseases such as cholera, dysentery and the common cold wiped out whole regions. Even child birth was considered a dangerous condition in that many mothers died whilst in labour.

It was also in 1044 that Aldred was made Bishop of Worcester, before being promoted to Archbishop of York in 1060. Upon receiving the pallium from Pope Nicholas II, after a misunderstanding, Aldred returned to England. He would at a later date support the move to have William the Conqueror as Monarch and it was Aldred who performed the ceremony and crowned William of Orange, King in 1066, after the battle of Hastings.

But it was in 1061 that a woman began to receive visions of Our Lady. Being of noble birth, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, was astonished at the beauty of our Lady and immediately crossed herself so as to be protected against unwanted visitations from the evil one, Lady Richeldis need not have feared, for it was indeed Mary who appeared before her.

Our Lady was to show Lady Richeldis the home she had lived in at Nazareth, the same house that the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her to inform Mary of the good news. Our Lady then said to Lady Richeldis, "Let all who are in any way distressed or in need seek me there in that small house that you maintain for me at Walsingham. To all that seek me there shall be given succour."

The house that our Lady requested was eventually built and many pilgrims were to visit this most Holy site including Kings and Queens. King Edward I attributed a miracle to our Lady when he was spared from an impending accident when he made a pilgrimage to Waslingham. Henry the VIII also visited Walsingham, but, unfortunately it was during his reign as King, that he ordered the destruction of Walsingham, seeing it as a threat to his own command as Head of the Church of England.

During and after the persecutions of Catholics in England, pilgrimages to Walsingham decreased as many embraced the new Church of England in defiance of Rome! But nothing that Our Lady wishes is ever destroyed, and so Walsingham too would rise again, despite anti-Catholic sentiments.

So it was that in the nineteenth century a woman known as Charlotte Boyd endeavoured to retore this most Holy of shrines back to its former glory in honour of our Lady. Charlotte Boyd upon completing the project then gave it to Downside Abbey. This project was to touch Charlotte, and during its restoration she converted to the Catholic Faith, yet another miracle of Walsingham.

So through war and peace, persecution and acceptance, the shrine at Walsingham was not totally destroyed and is one of the major tourist attractions in England.

For whatever our Lady requests, through love of her immaculate Heart it will conquer all who stand opposed to honouring our Holy Mother. Our Lady of Walsingham will stand as a cherished and beloved Gift to the peoples of England and the world.

I would encourage all to read further about our Lady of Walsingham.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.