The Historic Churches of Norwich

Dame Julian of Norwich

red brick ower of st AugustinesToday the church is a shrine to Dame Julian of Norwich,
circa 1340 - 1426
Shewings of Divine Love

Julian was an Anchoress. It is fairly certain that she was not a nun. An anchoress was a person called to a solitary life, but one that was not cut-off from the world, but one anchored in it. Her life was one of prayer and contemplation, a life highly thought of by people of the time. Her home was a small room, or cell, attached to the Church of St. Julian, just off one of the main streets of Norwich. She probably took her name Julian from the Saint of the Church. There was a `Rule of Life` associated with this order drawn up in the 13th century, which stated that the cell should have 3 windows that opened; one into the Church, so she could hear Mass and receive the Blessed Sacrament; one to communicate with her servant, who would have lived close at hand; one window was to open onto the street, to give advice to those who sought it.

Through this window, she would meet with passers by who sought the advise of a holy woman. Her unusual lifestyle was understood by all as a form of consecration to God, for her entrance into this life had been a public event. The Bishop of the town along with the crowd of the faithful had held a public service in which she was sealed into her apartment, there to spend the rest of her days in prayer and service to the spiritually hungry. Traditionally, this was done by a mature woman, notby a woman in her childbearing years.

Julian of Norwich is not a Saint, but she is often called Saint in this modern era. The original church at Norwich was destroyed by bombing during World War II. This has been restored as a place of prayer by the Anglican Sisters of All Hallows, Ditchingham.

For a fuller account of Julian of Norwich visit: http://www.geocities.com/ganesha_gate/julian.html

Her cell has been recreated using the doorway and round arch once of St Michael at Thorn which was also destroyed by bombing during the second world war.

The church is open every day for prayer and quiet reflection

All Saints Westlegate St. George Tombland St. Julian St. Michael at Plea
St. Andrew St. Giles St. Lawrence St. Peter Hungate
St. Augustine St. Gregory St. Margaret St. Peter Mancroft
St. Benedict St. Helen St. Martin at Oak St. Peter Parmentergate
St. Clement St. James Pockthorpe St. Martin at Palace Plain St. Saviour
St. Edmund Fishergate St. John de Sepulchre St. Mary Coslany St. Simon & St. Jude
St. Etheldreda St. John Maddermarket St. Mary the Less St. Stephen
St. George Colegate St. John Timberhill St. Miles Coslany St. Swithin