The Story:

The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is the National Shrine of Our Lady for Roman Catholics in England. It dates back to the Middle Ages, when in In 1100, Richilde de Fervaques was a wife of a wealthy Lord of the Manor of Walsingham Parva, dreamed that she was being transported to the house in Nazareth where the Virgin Mary received the Annunciation of Christ’s birth. In the dream she was told to build a replica, and so she did. Soon afterward, the wooden house was moved about 200 feet very mysteriously. News spread and pilgrims arrived, including many English monarchs who visited Walsingham over the subsequent centuries.

King Henry VIII and his wife, Catherine of Aragon, made the pilgrimage, but soon after Henry’s separation from the Roman Catholic Church, as with most important Catholic sites in England, this Shrine was destroyed.

After 400 years, the Shrine became a place of pilgrimage again in the 20th century. The Guild of Our Lady of Ransom brought the first public pilgrimage to Walsingham on August 20, 1897. Visits to the Slipper Chapel became more frequent, and as the years passed devotion and the number of pilgrimages increased. The Shrine now attracts some 150,000 pilgrims during the pilgrimage season with about 35 Major Pilgrimages from Catholic societies and organizations, as well as many parish and overseas groups.

Accommodations: Accommodations range from hotels to bed-and-breakfasts with varied prices. Elmham House is the Roman Catholic Shrine’s pilgrim accommodation, open from March – December. It can accommodate over 100 guests, and can be contacted at: elmhamhouse@walsingham.org.uk or tel: 01328 820217.

Walsingham is about a 3 to 4 hour (120 mile) drive from London. It is possible to arrive near Walsingham by bus or rail from London, but it involves various connections.

Contact: +44 1328 820255

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The Story:

The Carmelite Order came to Aylesford, in Kent, England in 1242. In 1251 Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, the Prior General of the Carmelite Order at Aylesford, England. In the apparition, the Virgin handed Simon the brown woolen scapular – which was her sign of protection for all her children. With the protection came the promise that whoever wore her “habit” devoutly would be assured eternal salvation. The scapular became an important sign of faith and a signature element of Carmelite devotion. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the Friary passed into many different hands, but finally in 1949 the Friars were able to buy back the property. The Shrine was rededicated in 1965. Today the Shrine is open for visitors 365 days a year and admission is free.

Accommodation: The medieval Priory houses an 80 room guesthouse for pilgrims. Rooms are simple but comfortable and available for single, double, twin, and family bookings.

Transportation: Drive: The friary is approximately a 1 hour drive from London (40 miles). It can be reached via the M2 or M20. Train: London Victoria Station to Maidstone East, then take a taxi or bus 155 to The Friars. London St Pancras Station, change at Strood for Aylesford, then a 20 minute walk or short taxi ride. London Victoria Station to West Malling then take a taxi to The Friars.

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The Story:

The Birmingham Oratory in Edgbaston, England – also called, “The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri Birmingham”, or “The Cardinal Newman Memorial Church” – is a Roman Catholic community of priest, brothers, and a parish in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

The original church was founded by St. John Henry Newman in 1848. The first Oratory Church was replaced by a larger one that was consecrated in 1920. It The church is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and was the first house in the order, the Congregation of the Oratory. It is a stunning example of Edwardian Baroque architecture, and a wonderful place to visit to appreciate the life of Cardinal Newman and to enjoy the beautiful liturgy and sacred music for which the Oratory is renowned.

May 26th is the feast of St. Philip Apostle of Rome and Founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. The feast day of St. Cardinal Newman is October 9th, he was Canonized by Pope Francis in 2019.

Accommodations: As a city with almost 1 million residents in the metro area, there are a variety of boutique, moderate, and budget hotel options close to the Oratory.

Location:
The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
141 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham B16 8UE

 

Birmingham is about 3-hour drive (120 miles) from London. The Shrine is reachable by car, train, coach, and the Birmingham International Airport.

Contact: +44 (121) 454 0496

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The Story:

In the year 597 Pope Gregory I sent the monk Augustine from Rome with a group of monks to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons in Canterbury. That same year King Ethelbert of Kent gave Augustine permission to preach. Although he was only there seven years when he died, his apostolate soon spread. Canterbury became important as the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in England by the time Archbishop Thomas Becket was appointed by King Henry II in 1162. King Henry II and Thomas Becket had a powerful relationship, but in time became at odds and Becket was forced into exile. Eventually, he and the King came to terms. Becket would be allowed to return to Canterbury in 1170, but would traggically die for his convictions that same year. Becket’s murder caused such an outrage, that Henry had to forfeit his attempts to subjugate the church. His martyrdom was followed by reports of miraculous cures, and within two years he was canonized. After Becket’s canonization, the King was made to do penance by being flogged at the archbishop’s coffin. When the cathedral was destroyed by fire, a much grander one was built to hold the Shrine of St. Thomas. This was financed by the various pilgrimage groups traveling to Canterbury. Three centuries later, King Henry VIII’s complaints with the Vatican led to the Church of England being formed, with Henry being at the head of it.

Canterbury is located on the River Stour. This beautiful location offers many historic treasures.

Accomodations: Canterbury is easily accessible by car or train. It is also a good starting point if visiting the coast of the English Channel or nearby towns.

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The Story:

This was the first Christian settlement in England, according to legend, founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century. It has been said that Joseph brought the Holy Grail – the chalice that Christ used at the Last Supper – to Glastonbury, where it remains buried.

Historically, evidence shows that the first stone church was built in the 7th century. The church was enlarged over the centuries, and after the Norman conquest of 1066, it was improved and expanded further by skilled Norman craftsman. The monastery complex was destroyed by fire in 1184, however, monks at Glastonbury made known that they found the tombs of Joseph of Arimathea and King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Pilgrims continued coming here and by the 14th century, Glastonbury was the second wealthiest Abbey in England, famous for its tremendous library.

At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the last Abbot was Blessed Richard Whiting whom King Henry VIII executed for treason, and whose head was impaled on a spike on the abbey gate and his body quartered and sent throughout the country as a warning to others. Blessed Richard is considered a martyr and has been beatified by the Catholic Church. Glastonbury Abbey fell into destruction and only a portion of the Chapel of the Virgin remains.

Accommodation: Hotels and inns and bed-and-breakfasts are plentiful in the area.

Transportation: Glastonbury Abbey is approximately a 3-4 hour drive from London (134 miles). It can be reached via the M3, M4, and M5. Train: The nearest train station to Glastonbury is Castle Cary. From the station, take a taxi to Glastonbury. Bus: First Group provides buses from Bristol and Taunton.

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