Walsingham was England's Nazareth. A fantastical tale brought pilgrims - kings, queens, and commoners alike - to Walsingham in the Middle Ages. In 1061 a Walsingham noblewoman, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary transported her soul to Nazareth and showed her the house where the Holy Family once lived, and in which the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel, foretelling Jesus's birth, occurred. She was told to build a replica of the house in Walsingham, and did so. The Holy House, initially a simple wooden structure, later richly decorated with gold and precious jewels, became a shrine and attracted pilgrims to Walsingham from all over Europe. Numerous kings travelled as pilgrims to Walsingham.

The Foundation, at 2 Butcher Row, London E14 8DS, which has been caring for pilgrims and others since 1174, is the London to Walsingham Camino accommodation partner in London. It would also be wonderful to include routes from the other key starting points for medieval Walsingham pilgrims: Ely, Kings Lynn and Norwich. I (Andy) have indicated at each stage where I shall be staying, and given links, where I can, to allow you to do the same, should you wish. You may prefer to book alternative accommodation away from the route and take taxis in and out. That’s entirely up to you. Meeting ties and locations for each day are given below. The London to Walsingham Camino Pilgrimage Guide is exceptional in its presentation, highlighting the historical context of the ancient Pilgrim Routes, alongside the spiritual reasons as to why people have made pilgrimage to Walsingham over so many centuries. It eloquently speaks to us of the often unknown spiritual heritage of England. Perhaps lost jewel to be rediscovered! The book is fascinating on myriads of levels with insights from some of the great British authors which have the capacity to open us to the depths of our great literary heritage along side the spiritual one.The London to Walsingham Camino is a modern re-creation by Andy Bull of what was reputedly the most popular pilgrimage in England from London to the shrine at Walsingham in Norfolk until Henry VIII outlawed pilgrimage and the veneration of saints in 1538. From London's Church of St Magnus the Martyr next to London Bridge, with its shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham, it leads to the Anglican and Catholic shrines at Walsingham in Norfolk, following footpaths and quiet lanes across the countryside east of England while visiting many towns on the way. Walsingham was England's Nazareth, where in 1061 a Walsingham noblewoman, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, claimed a vision in which the Virgin Mary transported her soul to Nazareth and showed her the house where the Holy Family once lived, and in which the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel, foretelling Jesus's birth, occurred. She was told to build a replica of the house in Walsingham, and it became a shrine attracting pilgrims to Walsingham from Europe including numerous kings. In the Christian world it was eclipsed by just three other places: Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela. London to Walsingham Camino guidebook is a full colour guide to walking the re-established pilgrimage route from the Church of St Magnus the Martyr, with its shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham to the Anglican and Catholic shrines at Walsingham in Norfolk. Identifying the very best walking route at each point, and offering a good alternative route via Bury St Edmunds, will be key to the success of the project. Readers are welcome to attend one or more location, and to join author Andy Bull, who has led the revival of the path, on the walk between them, as you wish.

She told me that it was all very well to have re-established the pre-Reformation walking route from London to Walsingham, and fine that I had walked each stage four or five times in the course of researching the path... but. To truly bear witness I had to walk the whole thing in one go. We were welcomed at many points along the way. Many of the 22 churches in which we have placed pilgrim stamps invited us to join them for Morning or Evening Prayer, for Mass and – on one memorable occasion, in the village of Withersfield – the most enchanting Evensong I have ever experienced. The village choir was accompanied on a homely squeeze-box like organ and afterwards the vicar, Max Drinkwater, joined us for pilgrim supper at the village inn, the White Horse, where we were staying. Walsingham was England’s Nazareth. A fantastical tale brought pilgrims – kings, queens, and commoners alike – to Walsingham in the Middle Ages. St Mary’s, Houghton on the Hill (pilgrim stamp) This church, with its 1,000-year-old wall paintings, will be specially opened for us. To remedy that, the Confraternity is working with Andy Bull, author of Pilgrim Pathways, to identify the old route and develop a modern pilgrim path that is as faithful to it as possible, while also giving a fulfilling walking experience.

Publications, Badges and Certificates:

One reason for re-establishing the London to Walsingham Camino is to seek to raise awareness of the significance of Walsingham. For 400 years, no pilgrims walked to Walsingham. Since the 1930s, when both Catholic and Anglican shrines were re-established here, Walsingham has undergone a revival. It draws around 300,000 pilgrims each year, but hardly any of them walk much more than the final Holy Mile, and only a few church and other groups trace the full route from London. We became three when Sarah, an Anglican deacon, also signed up for the full slog. We were joined along the way by others, a couple for a week, others for a day or three, and became a generally merry band, even in the face of rain, storm, hail, blisters and creaking knees.

This route via Bury St Edmunds is 144 miles includingall the twists and turns. Starting on Sunday (say 9am Mass at Westminster Cathedral) and walking an average 20 miles a day gets you to Fakenham on Saturday evening. This allows a leisurely 4 mile walk on Sunday to the Catholic Shrine at Houghton St Giles for the mid day pilgrim Mass (a further 1 mile to Little Walsingham gets you to the Anglican Centre where Mary is also venerated and a range ofsmall town amenities, accommodation etc.). Suggested accommodation: Old Canon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds. I am staying here. I booked via bookings.com The route from Reading Abbey to Southampton, likely used by medieval British pilgrims to Santiago, and designated part of the Camino Inglés in the UK. That is largely due to the fact there is no waymarked route, as there are with many other significant pilgrim paths, and no comprehensive guidebook. In all, this was a wonderful climax to our two-week walk, an ecumenical day never to be forgotten, and a fitting end to a true, English Camino.Max has very kindly arranged with his congregation to move their usual evensong to coincide with our time in the village. Tube to Monument for start of pilgrim route at St Magnus the Martyr, perhaps via Southwark Anglican Cathedral.