pilgrim badge fragment

This pilgrim badge represents the Holy House at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk. This example depicts a two-storey building with an A shaped roof. On the upper storey stands a statue of Mary in a scene from the Annunciation, when the Virgin Mary learnt she would conceive and become the mother of Christ. On the lower floor is a doorway bordered by quatrefoil windows. Our Lady of Walsingham was one of the most visited shrines in Europe and would probably have had its own workshop for making these souvenirs.

It is believed that the Holy House was built in 1061 and was the original site of the Shrine of Our Lady , although some historians date it to the mid-twelfth century. As the story is told, a devout noblewoman named Richeldis de Faverches prayed that she do something to honour the Virgin Mary. The Virgin appeared to her in three visions and led her to Nazareth. She was shown the house where the Annunciation occurred, and was asked to build a replica in Walsingham to serve as a permanent memorial.

Richeldis had many problems during the construction of the house. One night, she heard singing coming from the gardens. On visiting the site, she found that the house had been completed and saw what she believed to be angels leaving the scene.

In 1538, the Holy House was destroyed during the English Reformation. It was replicated and rebuilt in 1922 and is part of the present-ay shrine. The site continues to be a popular destination for pilgrims attracting 150,000 visitors a year.