Our Lady's Mirror 1932

On an average there have been eighty to ninety "foreigners", as Norfolk people call all strangers, visiting the Holy House each week since the opening of the Shrine; people from all over the country.

We are most anxious as soon as it is possible to build the Sacristy, or at least a bay or two of the cloister leading to it. The chief reason at the moment being that we need a room attached to the Sanctuary where we can form a "treasury" which the ordinary tripper and visitor can view at a small fee and so help towards the large expenses of the upkeep.

Owing to the generosity of one of the Guardians a special medal commemorating the opening of the Shrine on October 15th 1931 is being struck. The medal depicts on one side the exterior of the New Buildings and on the reverse the image of Our Lady of Walsingham.

There are several ancient tiles let into the predella of the Holy House. It is our hope that friends will get others from various abbeys and holy places and send, as it is our hope to replace all the modern tiles on the altar step with ancient ones. Each tile or group of tiles has the name of its original "home" engraved beside it. Even broken pieces are welcome and can be worked in the scheme. We should be glad of stones from shrines and abbeys with which to build the altars in the two western chapels.

There are now eleven lamps before the altar of the Holy House given and maintained by individuals or groups. There is plenty of space for others.

We ask all friends of Walsingham to pray regularly that the Sanctuary may soon be licensed for public masses. At present the Bishop of the diocese is not prepared to do so, although he is very friendly disposed.

article: a detailed description of the interior of the new Holy House
photograph: the interior of the new Holy House [above]