Part of the parish of St John the Baptist Timberhill, St Julian’s is a Grade I-listed parish church. Famed for being the site of seclusion for Lady Julian of Norwich, the first woman to write a book in the English language.
We do not know the true name of Julian of Norwich, with her name being taken from the Church where she resided. Living from 1342 – 1416, Lady Julian was an anchoress, which translates to “someone who has retired from the world”, playing a role of a spiritual guide for the church.
In 1373, Julian fell ill and believed that she was on her death bed. It was during this period of illness that she received 16 mystical visions about Christianity which she would later write about, forming the book Revelations of Divine Love. The Books importance cannot be overstated, being both the first book written in English by a woman but also as an example of an incredibly well persevered Middle English work.
Following major damage from bombing in 1942 the church was extensively restored and reopened in 1953.
In the modern-day St Julian’s is open every day for prayer, quiet visits and daily worship and at 9am every Sunday for The Eucharist.
