King's Lynn to Walsingham

Start: Pentney / Narborough. Finish: Great Massingham.

Distance: 11.5 miles

"The site of it [Castle Acre Priory] took in several acres; the grand entrance was north of the priory church, where is now standing a large and stately gate-house of free-stone; over the arch as you enter, are the arms of the Earl Warren... The whole site was enclosed with a lofty stone wall, good part of which is still standing." Francis Blomefield, 1808, in 'A History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 8'.

It is worth setting off early on the second day. One of the highlights of the pilgrimage, Castle Acre Priory, is on the route and it will be necessary to set time aside to visit. The site is maintained by English Heritage and is an ideal resting-point mid-way between Narborough and Great Massingham, the destination of this second leg.

A mile or so on from Narborough, the Nar Valley Way deviates from the course of the river and proceeds through the village of West Acre. It passes All Saints Church; the clock on its tower beckons you to 'Watch and pray' and it is worth stepping inside.

A gateway next to the church belonged to West Acre Priory, another religious house for the Augustinian order. The remnants beyond the gates are an echo of the structures that would have given shelter to the twenty or so canons that lived there from its foundation around 1135 to its dissolution in 1538.

Castle Acre Priory is reached before the village itself. You may wish to retrace your steps after taking advantage of the facilities available here.

The land occupied by Castle Acre Priory was granted to the Cluniac order by William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, in 1089. His father had introduced the Cluniac order into England at Lewes following the Norman Conquest. The remains of the priory that developed at Castle Acre are extensive and reward exploration. An excellent audio guide and other interpretation is available from the visitor centre.

Leaving Castle Acre behind, the Three Paths Pilgrimage joins the Peddar's Way north to Great Massingham. It has been conjectured that this would have been the preferred route for medieval pilgrims heading to Walsingham from the south of England after having enjoyed the hospitality of the Cluniac monks at the Castle Acre Priory the previous evening.

Great Massingham was the site of another Augustinian priory, but no remains survive today. The room above the porch at St. Mary's Church in the village was used as a schoolroom. It is claimed that a young Sir Robert Walpole - Britain's first Prime Minister - received an education here. His family seat was at Houghton Hall, about three miles north of Great Massingham.