When Richeldis de Faverches, the Lady of the Manor, saw a vision of the Blessed Virgin in 1061, she was instructed to build in Walsingham a replica of the Holy House in Nazareth. On the spot wherethe vision was seen a spring of water appeared. The replica Holy House was built close by and became a place of pilgrimage, known throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. It is said that all the Kings and Queens of England from Henry III to Henry VIII visited the shrine.

Knight Street

The Augustinian Canons were the guardians of the shrine and built a Priory immediately south of it. The Priory fell into ruin following the Dissolution in 1538. The principle remaining edifice today is the magnificent east window, once approached through the 15th century Gatehouse on the High Street. Now the grounds are accessed through the shop in the 15th century Guildhall, in the Common Place, which also contains a small museum.

The mediaeval shrine has long since disappeared, but a new shrine was built in 1931-38 on what is claimed to be the original site. The replica of the Holy House containing the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham is now inside the Church of England shrine church, north of the Priory remains, off Knight Street. The Roman Catholic shrine is to be found one mile south of Walsingham in the neighbouring village of Houghton St. Giles, in the Slipper Chapel.

The 15th century Gatehouse.

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