June 25, 2008

Richard of Gloucester visited Walsingham Priory in June 1469 with Edward IV. It was one of the most important shrines of medieval England, with pilgrims coming from each part of the world. The original shrine was later destroyed, and now a Catholic and an Anglican Shrine have replaced it.

The Catholic Shrine

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Bickling Hall is a Jacobean jewel, a perfect setting for a Jane Austen movie. The interior contains wonderful furnitures, includind a Peter the Great room, a Chinese room and a long gallery adapted into a library decorated with pre-raphaelite borders. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed inside, and the shop didn't had postcards with photos of the rooms. 

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Norwich Cathedral. I got into it just five minutes before closure, time enough to watch myself reflected into the mirrors that magnified the arched ceiling.

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In the evening, in our hotel in the Norfolk countryside, we had a party for our driver, Paul. We made other toast for Richard with the Battle of Bosworth wine (produced in Australia!) that John had bought in the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre.

 next day: Wingfield and Framlingham