Dowry House Guest Information

Applicable for stays in 2023:  subject to change
Last updated 16/01/2023

2023 BOOKING AND PAYMENT INFORMATION

Thank you for making a reservation at Dowry House, the shrine’s retreat centre and home to Community of Our Lady of Walsingham. Whether you have booked a group retreat or simply a quiet break, we hope you will enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this special place of prayer.

 

PAYMENT

If you have not already done so, please make full payment in order to secure your booking. If you are not able to make full payment straight away, please speak to us about paying in instalments. Groups may secure their booking by paying a non-refundable deposit of £20 per person. Full payment must be made by four weeks before arrival.

 

CARD

If you would like to pay by card, please phone the Pilgrim Bureau on Tel. 01328 800975.

Office hours are 9am to 10pm everyday.

 

CHEQUE

Please make cheques payable to ‘Walsingham Trust’. They should be sent to ‘Bookings Team’, Pilgrim Bureau, Friday Market, Little Walsingham, Norfolk. NR22 6EG.

Please indicate that your payment is for a stay at Dowry House and give the dates of your stay so that your details can be easily found, and payment recorded.

 

BANK TRANSFER

If you prefer to pay by Bank Transfer, please use the following details:

Account name: RC National Shrine                 Account number: 28909560             Sort Code: 30 99 77

Please use “DHR/Yourname” as the reference so that we can identify your payment

Please confirm when you have made a bank transfer payment, either by emailing the booking teams at reservations@walsingham.org.uk or by telephoning them on 01328 800975.

 

MEALS, SPECIAL DIETS AND FOOD ALLERGIES

Our rates are full board – supper, breakfast and lunch.

Supper on the first evening is 6.30pm only. All meals are taken at Elmham House in Friday Market (just a little down the road from Dowry House). An area of Elmham House refectory is reserved especially for Dowry House guests. It is possible to provide a simple breakfast (not cooked) at Dowry House. Please let us know at the time of booking if you / your group would prefer this. From Monday to Saturday the lunch is packed, giving you the freedom to head out and explore the shrine and other places of interest. On Sundays, a hot lunch is served at 1.15pm. Please let us know if you do not wish to have some of your meals so that food is not wasted.

ACCOMMODATION

As we are an old, listed building, we do not have a lift. Please let us know if you require a ground floor room as well as any other particular needs.

 

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES

We would be ready to welcome you from 3.15pm on the day of arrival. Please note, as we are a religious community also living our life of prayer and other duties here, we are unable to accommodate early arrivals. If you arrive in Walsingham early, there are places to visit in the village before you check in with us.

Please aim to arrive 3.15 – 3.45 pm – in time for 4pm Evening Prayer – or from 4.45 – 5.45 pm – in time for supper. If you are running late, please call 01328 801018 and leave a message if there is no answer.

Check out of bedrooms is 11.00 am on the day of departure. Guests can usually make use of the ground floor facilities of the house and chapel until midday.

FACILITIES 

You will be able to enjoy the beautiful facilities of Dowry House, such as the peaceful Adoration chapel and silent cloister courtyard and the sitting room and Marian Library. We can make art material available for your use, upon request (for individuals).  Groups may use the conference room for talks; please let us know in good time if you would need to use the projector.

 

PARKING

There is space for up to 5 cars in the Dowry House car park on Coker’s Hill. To access this, drive along through the short stay car park in the village, turn left and then left again through the white gates which say ‘Private Car Park’. (See the purple arrows on the map below). There is also a small free car park on Friday Market Place (NR22 6DB) outside reception or there is the Old Mill pay and display car park (NR22 6DH) at the top of the High Street that’s a short walk away from Elmham House and accessible both from Common Place and from Coker’s Hill. Charges: £2.50 (2hrs), £4.00 (4hrs), £7.00 (24hrs), £12.00 (48hrs) or £30.00 for a week. Coach charges: £6.00 (4hrs), £10.00 (24hrs), £15.00 (48hrs) or £35.00 for a week. Free overnight from 6pm to 8am.

MASS TIMES

There is a 9.30am Mass every Monday – Saturday at the Church of the Annunciation in the village. This is a two-minute walk from Dowry House. Sunday Mass is 10.30am.

Mass at the Basilica is 12.00 midday, every day. The Basilica is a one mile from Dowry House – a 30-minute walk.

Catholic priests may say Mass in Dowry House chapel. Please bring a letter of good standing from your Diocese with you.

 

PRAYERS WITH THE COMMUNITY OF OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM

During your visit, you are welcome to join the community for prayers as follows:

9.00 am: Morning Prayer

4.00 pm: Evening Prayer

Please arrive 5 minutes before prayer is due to begin.

We also often pray Night Prayer in the chapel at 8.45pm, though this can vary according to the needs of our guests and the community. You may use the chapel for your own personal, silent prayer any time it is available. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is possible most of the day and night and this precious gift is highly valued by our residential guests, especially those here on silent retreats. With this in mind, we ask that all guests respect the religious nature of the house and the quiet and contemplative space that we provide here. Finally, if you would like to speak to one of the Sisters during your stay with us, please do feel free to ask.

 

SUGGESTIONS

 

FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH WALSINGHAM
We also invite you to visit our website on www.dowryhouse.org.uk, the Shrine’s website www.walsingham.org.uk and to explore what Walsingham and the surrounding area has to offer.

 

SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
As spiritual preparation for your visit we invite you to reflect on the purpose of your visit and to pray the Novena to Our Lady of Walsingham in the 9 days before your arrival.  This can be accessed online at www.walsingham.org.uk/novena/.  You may also wish to consider purchasing a copy of Fr Michael Rear’s, Pilgrims and Pilgrimages.  Both available at EH Reception, the Slipper Chapel Shop and online at shop.walsingham.org.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you to Dowry House Retreat!