Walsingham

In 1061 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Richeldis de Faverches, the Lady of the Manor of Walsingham Parva (Little Walsingham), a little known village in rural Norfolk, asking her to build an exact replica of the holy house of Nazareth for Mary's praise and honour, and she vowed that all who venerated it would find help. In this book John Rayne-Davis retells the history of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham from its foundation to the present day, showing that royal patronage by the kings and queens of England, from Henry III to Henry VIII, was the feature that made Walsingham one of the most important places of pilgrimage at that time. Throughout its turbulent history, the history and the spirituality of Walsingham have been, and still are, inextricably linked. Therefore, Peter Rollings adds an all important spiritual reflection, which, together with a selection of prayers, devotions and hymns, results in a work which is an invaluable resource as the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham prepares to celebrate the 950th anniversary of its foundation. The book contains 8 pages of photographs. There are many books about the history of Walsingham and one might be tempted to ask whether another one is necessary. I think that John Rayne-Davis has found a gap in the market and come up with a distinctive offering.