HIGHLIGHT: St Mary’s, Houghton on the Hill
A pilgrim church rescued from Satanists
A little over 500 years before me, Catherine of Aragon followed this stretch of the route I am taking to Walsingham.
On 13 March 1517, Henry VIII’s first wife was escorted along this path, now part of the newly-revived London to Walsingham Camino route, by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
Suffolk wrote to Henry a few days later, telling him he met his queen at ‘Pykenham Wade’ (Pykenham being Pickenham today) on her way to Walsingham, and escorted her the rest of the way.
For this stretch, between the villages of South and North Pickenham, the London to Walsingham Camino follows the ancient Peddars Way.
The name Peddar is said to derive from the Latin pedester, meaning on foot, and is at least Roman, probably a millennium older.
Half way between North and South Pickenham the path is overlooked by an isolated hill-top church rescued from Satanists.
I climb to St Mary’s, Houghton on the Hill, up a dusty track. The church only reveals itself when I reach the summit and turn a corner to find it standing, in a wonderful sun-dappled garden glade, encircled in an embrace of trees.
St Mary’s dates from at least 1090, perhaps even from the 7th century, when St Felix converted East Anglia to Christianity.
But, by 1992, it had fallen into a terrible state of decay.
Its interior had been desecrated by Satanists, who had torn up graves, set up a pagan altar, and scratched the number 666 into a wall.
The roof had fallen in and there was a serious crack in the tower.
Mercifully it was rescued, by a local man called Bob Davey.
For 25 years Bob laboured, shoring up the tower, rebuilding the walls, and replacing the original thatched roof with tile. The medieval font was discovered, being used as a garden planter, and returned.
Bob – who sadly died during the Covid epidemic – struggled to get interest in his restoration, and the funds to progress it.
But then, in 1996, the church’s fortunes changed when a piece of Victorian plaster fell from a wall to reveal a remarkable 1,000-year-old treasure beneath.
The 11th century wall paintings which were revealed, and which cover the interior like a full-body tattoo, are some of the most important late Saxon church art in western Europe.
They were designed like a great picture book, a sort of cartoon strip telling the Bible stories of Heaven, Earth and Hell for those who could not read.
The church’s fortunes were instantly transformed. Grants were awarded, Charles III (then the Prince of Wales) visited, and Bob got an MBE.
The church is still consecrated, occasional services are held, and pilgrims – including those who are re-establishing the church’s place on the London to Walsingham Camino – are made very welcome.
Find out more
For all you need to know in order to follow the London to Walsingham Camino, check out the guidebook
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