SaintHidden
Our Lady's Smile
She smiled, and mother and child lived.
Stand where it happened
- What's there
- Village church; the medieval Lady altar is gone
- Legend from
- Medieval miracle tale
- Tone
- Curious
Rayne church ahead, where women praying for a dying mother looked up and saw the Virgin smile.
Rayne church was once thought lucky to be married in. The legend says it had an altar and chapel to the Blessed Virgin in the south aisle. The wife of John de Naylinghurst lay dying in childbirth, and the women attending her ran to the altar to beg for Our Lady's help. As they prayed and looked up, they saw the Virgin smile in answer. They hurried back with the news and found the mother safe and a new baby de Naylinghurst in the family. Edward Smith, writing in 1908, listed Rayne with Ashingdon as the two Essex churches where marriage was considered lucky.
One sourceOnly one written account of this legend has been found so far.