The lovely North Norfolk village of Little Walsingham (perversely much bigger than nearby Great Walsingham) is a unique place. Not here the bustle of the Broads, or the seething seaside. Walsingham is above all a place of pilgrimage, and has fittingly retained much of the medieval in its architecture and atmosphere. According to legend in the early 12th century Richeldis de Faverches, widowed Lady of the Manor of Walsingham, had a vision of Nazareth’s house of the annunciation, and was commanded by Mary to recreate the building in her own lands. Mary showed two sites for the construction, the wrong one was chosen, but miraculously the building moved to the right one of its own accord. As the Holy Land was lost to the Christians at this epoch, the story grew that the spirit of Mary had removed to Walsingham. From Richeldis’s time to Henry VIII’s dissolution the village was a place of pilgrimage, reinforced by the creation of an Augustinian Priory in the late 12th century, and a Franciscan Friary in 1347. In spite of Henry’s vandalism the priory gatehouse can still be seen, and two of the friary cloisters and some of the living quarters stand outside the village. A statue of the Virgin, made in 1921 according to a likeness of the original, is kept in the shrine built in 1938 incorporating stonework from a host of church ruins. The High Street is quaintly medieval with its whitewashed frontages, cottages with overhanging upper storeys, timber-framed construction and pantiled roofs. Leading off the High Street is the Common Place, a square where the flint-faced Shire Hall and the Bull pub are to be found, a 16th century octagonal pump-house standing at the heart of the square with its iron brazier atop that once served for street lighting. Little Walsingham remains a place of pilgrimage, although fewer now leave their shoes at the old slipper chapel in nearby Houghton St Giles to cover the last mile barefoot, and tourist shops notwithstanding the village retains an air of tranquillity and stability.
Attraction
Shirehall Museum and Abbey Gardens
Shrine of our Lady of Walsingham
Walsingham Abbey Grounds
Classes
Doctor
Pub and Bar
Black Lion Hotel
Bull Inn
Oxford Stores
Shops
Places to Stay near Little Walsingham
Old Bakehouse Guesthouse (0.18 miles)
Set in the heart of the historical village of Little Walsingham, The Old Bakehouse offers three spacious guest rooms, all with en-suite facilities. Colour TV and Tea and coffee making facilities are available in each ... More | visit website
Black Lion Hotel (0.29 miles)
Arch House (4.20 miles)
Arch House, a very distinguished old house at the very entrance to Wells-next-the-sea, built around the turn of the 18th century to offer the Excise man a good vantage point over the town... (boo), but ... More | visit website
Crown Hotel (4.78 miles)
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Located in the heart of the town and close to local amenities, cinema, the Aldiss superstore and Fakenham National Hunt Race Course the Crown Hotel ... More
Wensum Lodge Hotel (4.90 miles)
'The Country Hotel on The Edge of Town.' Situated 3 mins walk from town centre and 10 mins from race course. Enjoy the warmth of our family run hotel, with a ... More
Glebe Farmhouse (4.91 miles)
Situated on the outskirts of the quiet village of North Creake, North Norfolk. The farmhouse is in an ideal location to visit the Norfolk coast, Norwich and Kings Lynn or the more local villages of ... More | visit website
Sculthorpe Mill (4.92 miles)
A charming 18th century mill set in beautiful gardens with six newly refurbished en suite guest rooms. A non smoking restaurant and cosy bar areas offer a bar or a la ... More
Lower Appartment Langham Hall (5.30 miles)
Langham is just one mile from the beauties of the North Norfolk Coast. Langham Hall appartments have been recently renovated and are situated in the heart of the village in ... More
Morston Hall (6.19 miles)
We don't pretend what we offer is unique. However, we know our fusion of hotel, restaurant and surroundings is a rare combination anywhere in the British Isles. Morston Hall is owned and run by Tracy ... More
Boar Inn (6.23 miles)
Great Ryburgh is in the beautiful English county of Norfolk within easy reach of the North Norfolk coast and only 2 miles from Fakenham Race course and only 4 miles ... More
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