Norfolk Pilgrim

History does not record who founded the church. Perhaps it was some hermit seeking to find God in a green wilderness. A desert monk translated into Norfolk's green and pleasant land. But someone founded a church here - on the Isle (Eye) of Horses a long time ago. By my reading. parts of the flint built church are 11th century or older! Seventeen of us gathered to share the Lord's Supper there on Sunday. I noticed that as we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, the communion cup had the date 1666 written on it. Was that not the date of the Great Fire of London? A cleansing fire, it turned out to be after the contagion of the Plague. Hmnn......... Pentecost... tongues of flame! In the silence after the consecration I could hear the call of Common Cranes from Horsey Mere. When,  I wonder did last an English priest hear the call of a crane while stood at the altar? The newly fledged birds were beginning to feel the wind beneath their wings? Hmnnnnn .....

Holy Communion at Horsey today. What a privilege! In autumn and winter hundreds of seals haul out an pup on the beach. Today families will be populating the miles of sand. its summer. The feast of Pentecost. Newly fledged birds are feeling the wind beneath their wings. Among them cranes and marsh harriers. Wind generators, wind pumps and sails on the Broads are a gift to the preacher. Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your people  And kindle in us the fire of your love.

Once upon a Tudor time, the name of Shelton was well known. The family’s manor house, at Shelton, now a parish in the Hempnall Team Ministry, was  a great palace.  The Sheltons were kinsmen of the Boleyn’s.  Ann, Henry VIIIs queen and mother of the Princess Elizabeth, had been named after her Shelton aunt. At one stage Ann Shelton had charge over Elizabeth and her  half-sister the Princess, soon to be Queen, Mary. For a cracking read in which the Shelton’s play a supporting role try Hilary Mantel’s books on Henry’s VIII Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies ! As a fan of Hilary Mantel,  I was already romantically attached to the parish of Shelton even though the once lavish Tudor Palace is no more.  Inquisitively, I decided to follow a newly published circular route that began and ended at the parish church.  I hope to add links to the walk here as soon as possible. For the time being pick up leaflets of all the Hem...