Our Lady of Poulton

The shrine of Our Lady of Poulton is not on Canon Stevenson’s list but I think it worth adding to the itinerary. 

It was situated just to the west of Dover and close to the Premonstratensian ( Norbertine) St Radegund’s Abbey, to which it belonged and which seems to have provided it with clergy. The church at Poulton disappeared sometime after 1523 and the site is now marked by a stone. There are online accounts of the history of Poulton at OUR VILLAGES 1900, at Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey., and at KCC.ExploringKentsPast

Pilgrim badges from the church have been found in London, and from that and its position close to Dover, I imagine it was another popular resort for those travelling to and from

Calais to pray for a safe journey and to render thanks.

A specimen of the badge is in the Museum of London, and the following is from their website:

• Pilgrim badge from the shrine of Our Lady of Poulton in Kent. The badge depicts the Virgin Mary sitting on a throne with the infant Christ on her right. They are both wearing tall crowns. At Mary’s feet is a rebus with the word ‘pul’ in black letter followed by a cask or tun, meaning ‘Poulton’. 
  
  The shrine of Our Lady of Poulton seems to have had a brief period of popularity, probably because it was close to Canterbury where so many pilgrims went to the shrine of St Thomas Becket. By the 16th century, the shrine’s fame had declined and was only of interest to people from the local area.

A photograph of the badge in the Museum collection can be seen here

Our Lady of Poulton Pray for us