A visit to Our Lady of the Crag
Things are changing. I sense the threads in the unseen realms twist and charge, push and pull, preparing us for major transformation. It’s already manifesting around me, with people I know making drastic changes for their health and happiness in their careers and home life. I’m also taking steps to create a different way of being, which is demanding a lot of courage. For me, such times are helped by strengthening my faith, and what better way to do that than to visit sites that our ancestors have journeyed to, prayed at, and wished amongst the waters, for centuries.
Yesterday my friend Shannon and I put on our pilgrim boots and went to Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, to visit a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Crag. We've only recently found out about this beautiful place, even though we’ve both been to Knaresborough many times.
This small chapel is carved into a cliff face, a task undertaken in 1408 by master mason John Mason. Folklore states that John’s young son had one day accompanied his son to the quarry, beneath which the chapel now stands, and that a huge rock fell as the boy was playing. John didn’t have time to move his boy to safety, so called out a prayer to Mother Mary. The falling rock changed course and the boy was saved. It was in thanksgiving for this that John founded the chapel. After our guide told us Knaresborough had Knights Templar connections, and we found a Knights Templar cross carved into the wall, we concluded John himself was likely one of its members.
The chapel overlooks the River Nidd, with a statue of Mother Mary and an altar outside by two large sycamore trees. There is also a knight carved into the rock by the doorway, which our guide said is a recent addition from the 19th century, and that they don’t know what was originally carved there. (Shannon and I felt it was likely Mary herself who originally stood watch over the entrance.)
I was in awe, for a small place it had huge energy. I managed to do some singing, and felt a wave of peace wash over me. I wish we could’ve stayed longer! One of the trustees had come to open it for us so our time was limited. The chapel is available for private visits but is open to the public on Sundays between 2 - 4pm.
Afterwards we went to Mother Shipton's Cave which is just down the river from the chapel. I’ve been meaning to go back here for some time as just over a year ago, I started my healing pilgrimage at this special site and made a wish. My first blog talks all about it!
It was good to be able to go back and thank the waters for granting my wish, and for all the gifts the land has shared with me since my initial visit. It was thanks to this site that I found out about St Winefride’s Well in Wales, after a lady I met there told me about it and suggested I go, which I did, and would go on to experience some of the most healing and transformational experiences of my life visiting sacred sites there. So thank you Mother Shipton’s well - you really do hold magic!
My plan now is to make more of an effort putting into practice the things I've learnt from my connection to nature over this past year, and see if I can bring even more healing to my body. This will be my focus now, alongside my current employment, and I will no longer be offering photography or running workshops about runes or Viking history. I hope to keep blogging about this experience and my findings as I step into this next stage and begin a whole new pilgrimage...wishing all who read this peace and harmony as we navigate these brilliant, strange and changing times!
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