New church for Walsingham
An appeal has been launched to raise one million pounds to rebuild the Catholic church in Walsingham, because it is too small. The present building was meant as a temporary measure 50 years ago and cannot contain the growing numbers of pilgrims who come to the Shrine of Our Lady each year. Parish priest and shrine director Father Noel Wynn, said: "Because Walsingham is such an historic village the new church must blend in and have a capacity of more than 150. This is much larger than needed by the resident congregation but adequate for the additional visitors." Walsingham was home to the original shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, founded in 1061, and attracts more than 150,000 pilgrims annually. The new building, designed by Norfolk church architect Anthony Rossi, will have a round tower in Norfolk flint. It will be built on the site of the present church of the Annunciation, in the Friday Market Place. For more information about Walsingham visit: www.walsingham.org.uk