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Our Lady's Mirror
Spring 1955
Painting in the Blessed
Sacrament Chapel by
Anthony Baynes
[misprinted Begus]
The weather at Walsingham has been most unkind during the early weeks of the New Year,
with bouts of severe frost and snow. It looks very attractive but is far from pleasant to walk on; and
on Saturday February 19th Walsingham was once again almost cut off by snow; some of the
neighbouring villages were quite isolated.
The heating system which was installed in the upper and lower sacristys last year is most successful, and
we only wish it was possible to provide the same means of warming the Shrine too. Those who have the
very arduous work of cleaning the Church would also welcome this, as the present arrangement simply
pumps out grease and fumes upon the walls, and it is a serious matter for the Shrine decorations. But to
change this is – at present anyhow – but a wonderful dream.
The Chapel of our Lady and the Holy Angels has been enriched since the last copy of the Mirror by three
paintings by Anthony Baynes, the gift of Father Colin Stephenson, one of our Guardians. The two main
subjects are of the Crucifixion and the Last Supper.
The last set of Guardians’ stalls has been set up and in due course we hope to have the arms and names
painted on the panels to correspond with the earlier sets. These stalls are a wonderful improvement to
the choir.
The Easter Monday pilgrimage which was advertised in the Church Times, etc., had no response – only
ten people taking tickets for the London bus – so for the first time the administration at Walsingham
cancelled the arrangements and regretfully asked the preacher to postpone his visit to a later date. High
Mass, however, was sung at twelve o’clock and Benediction given at 4 o’clock and a handful of pilgrims
from the district visited the Holy House. Easter Monday is always a very uncertain day and we propose
not have a day pilgrimage in future at that time, and no arrangements will be made unless there is a real
demand.
On Easter Monday evening the usual Birmingham pilgrimage, led by Father Crusha, came in full force and
a most happy twenty-four hours was spent in Walsingham. Among them were many old friends, and new
ones were we hope made.
NOTE
Father Lingwood, feeling that he had not a vocation to the Collegiate life, did not renew his promises in
November 1953, and therefore should no longer be addressed as “C.S.A.” He lives in the College and is
still our Bursar and Pilgrimage Secretary.
The printer regrets the lateness of this issue of the “Mirror” which is owing to frustrations caused by the
Rail Strike.
articles: Fr Rutt, 'St Nicholas'; Mrs Wheedon, 'The Southend and District Pilgrimage Association'; Cyril
Pennicott, 'The Anthems of Mary'; 'Our Lady of Llanthony'; 'Priory of Our Lady of Walsingham and S
Margaret'; C S, 'The Solitary Life'; Dorothy M Wright, 'Our Lady of Bec'; Cyril Pennicott, 'The Layman's
Breviary'; Leonard J Hill, 'Two Shrines of the Child Jesus'
photographs: painting in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel by Anthony Baynes [misprinted Begus][above];
image of S Nicholas at Bari; Our Lady of Llanthony; two photographs of the abbey of Bec