The shrine of S Vincent
in the Sanctuary
25 March 1537
New Year's Day [Julian Calendar]
April 1537
Rising in Walsingham in opposition to the order to suppress
pilgrimage.
Myleham, the Sub-Prior, and others arrested.
22 May 1537
Nicholas Myleham and others on trial at Norwich Castle and
condemned
to death.
30 May 1537
Nicholas, the Sub-Prior, burnt in Walsingham, on Martyrs' Hill. (This
spot may derived its name from the execution of a Protestant here in
Mary's reign, which is known to have taken place in Walsingham, but
all local remembrance of this latter burning seems to have entirely
gone.)
30 July 1537
Deed (referred to above) sealed presumably in the Chapter House
at Walsingham.
25 March 1538
New Year's Day [Julian Calendar]
6 or 7 July 1538
about the 6 or 7 or a little later, the image of Our Lady of
Walsingham and all the offerings made at the Holy House were
removed and taken to London.
25 July 1538
Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham known to have been in London.
4 August 1538
Deed of Surrender signed in the Chapter House and the House
suppressed.
September 1538
The Image of Our Lady of Walsingham (with others) said to have been
burnt at Chelsea.
20 January 1538-9
The Townsend letter referring to the Image of Our Lady of
Walsingham "lately removed".
As usual at this time of the year we have had a very quiet time at the Sanctuary with few
pilgrims or visitors to the Shrine; indeed, not counting the inhabitants of Walsingham, there have only
been about twenty "foreigners", as we call all strangers in Norfolk, each week since the Autumn. Dwellers
in towns must remember that the Shrine is situated in a very remote district, even for these days, and
the trains are exceptionally bad and cold, and the roads none of the best at this season. But with the
return of the Spring we shall be busy enough no doubt.
The Shrine has been visited by only one Guardian (excepting those who live here) this quarter, and that
was Father Elton Lury early in the New Year. Several Priest Associates however have been on pilgrimage
and have offered the Holy Sacrifice.
A very precious donation is a deed issued by the last Prior of Walsingham, Richard Vowell, conveying
certain lands. It is dated July 30 [correctly 31], 1537, and has the seal of the Priory attached. This deed
was drawn up the year before the dissolution and just two months after the execution (martyrdom?) of
Nicholas Myleham for resisting the attempt to put down pilgrimages.
The following "Calendar" may interest our readers:
Winter Number 1933
Spring & Summer & Autumn 1933
The Centenary Choir Building Fund - Readers of the Mirror have not done their bit towards this
much-needed extension yet. We hope it is that the Friends of Walsingham have been waiting for
1933 actually to arrive before making their thank-offerings for the Catholic Revival; that you all
intend to do whatever you can we are confident, but what we would like is a letter promising to
send us such and such a sum by such and such a date.
As promised in the last number we give a picture of the new feretory or shrine of S Vincent, the
Deacon and Martyr, which has been set up in the outer Church of the Sanctuary, on the north side
of the altar of the Annunciation. As readers know, the holy relics, consisting of an arm bone and
an ampulla with some remains of the Martyr's blood, were given to Father Patten some years ago
with the letters of authentication by the permission of the Bishop of Assisi, together with some
other relics of famous early martyrs. These were all enclosed and sealed in a black ebony and
silver feretory. This reliquary was opened and the smaller relics transferred to other expositories,
while that of S Vincent was re-enclosed in its original case; these were all re-sealed by Bishop
O'Rorke and the necessary authentication added to the letters of the Bishop of Assisi.
The Relics of our Saint had been lent by Fr Patten to the Guild of S Vincent at the parish church,
where they have been venerated for several years. They are now, still in the original reliquary of
ebony, enclosed in the new feretory.
The shrine stands on a base coloured a dark green emblazoned with shields of those intimately
connected with Walsingham. At the west end are the arms of S Vincent, D.M., and the family of
Brett, the donors. On the south side are the arms of Sir William Milner, the donor of the land on
which the present Sanctuary of Our Lady stands, Edward the Confessor, who was the lord of the
manor when the Holy House was first erected, and Henry III, the first of the long line of royal
pilgrims recorded to have visited the Shrine. At the east end are the shields of Walsingham and
the first Administrator, while on the north we have those of S Augustine whose canons were the
guardians of England's Nazareth for close on four hundred years. The next is a badge in a shield
representing the Holy House; and the last on the base is the shield of the Clares, who were the
patrons of the Priory and incidentally founders of the Franciscan house in the town. Over the base
is a wooden cover, similar to that depicted in Mr Charles Walls' Shrines of British Saints for the
shrine of the Venerable Bede; indeed ours was entirely suggested by the picture. This cover is
painted in a dark green and is covered with a pall of silk. It is raised by means of a rope and
pulley and rings attached to four iron posts which terminate in sockets for candles. When this
cover is raised the actual shrine is revealed. It is beautifully made and is in colour and much gold
leaf. There is a carved ridge on the top terminating in two crockets carved and gilded. At each
corner there are pinnacles also carved and crocketed On the east end is a panel with the figure of
the saint holding his gridiron and a palm branch; he is vested in an scarlet dalmatic; the back of
this panel is diapered in gold and colour. At the west end the panel depicts Our Blessed Lady and
the Holy Child vested in a similar way.
On the sides are other panels containing heraldry repeating the shields of the base: the Holy
House, S Vincent and Brett, and on the other side S Vincent, Walsingham and Brett.
The west end is made in the form of a door and the whole of the south side wall can be removed
to enable the relics to be exposed for public veneration. This was done of course on the feast of S
Vincent after the parish mass, when many came to seek the Martyr's intercession.
Round the base is the inscription; "This feretory has been made in honour of Saint Vincent the
Deacon and Martyr, and in memory of Lincoln Brett upon whose soul may God have mercy."
article: 'Customs observed in some shrines of Our Lady in Belgium'
photograph: Shrine of S Vincent, D.M., in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Walsingham [above]
gift: a very beautiful statue for processions
1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933
1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941
1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959