Henry VIII has a lot to answer for, and I'm sure each of his six wives would agree, even the ones he didn't execute.
One of his more egregious acts was to go around knocking down perfectly good monasteries as way of thumbing his nose at Rome for making trouble over those wives or soon-to-be-ex wives and in the process accumulate copious amounts of land and treasure.
One unfortunate victim was Walsingham Priory. Originally founded in 1153, this beautiful building was built as a shrine and place of pilgrimmage as one century earlier an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, saw a vision of the Virgin Mary that set the ball rolling, as it were.
However by 1538, the Priory's luck ran out and down it came. Not all of it though. This striking archway remains as well as some parts of the wall.
For centuries the ruin remained largely forgotten, until its revival as a place of pilgrimage in the 20th century.
Did they knock it down with hammers or set fire to it or…???The archway looks strange just sitting out there all by itself.
Probably just hammers. I'll bet the stone went into many a local dwelling. It does look strange, doesn't it – a portal into another world.
Stargate!:lol:Kinda lonely-looking out there, but the window framings are very pretty.Architecture of bygone days. :happy:
On the positive side, ruins are very romantic! 🙂
I think so, YP. There is definitely an Arthurian feel to this place. 🙂
Very nice photos.
Thanks, Carol. 🙂
Thanks, Carol. 🙂
You are welcome Richard.
WOW, I would love to see this in person. The staircases on either side fascinate me. It really does look like a portal to another dimension or time. May I use this for the next Poetry picture prompt at KPN?
Of course you can, Jenny! But you are right about seeing it in person; it really does have an aura. No surprise that it has become a religious shrine.
Small world, YP. I hope he found his pilgrimage spiritually uplifting.
Walsingham came up in a conversation I had last night! A fellow I know – hospital chaplain here – just got back from a pilgrimage there.