St Thomas Becket

ID:

97.95/2

Production date:

Late Medieval; late 14th-15th century

Location:

In Store

Pilgrim badge from the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This badge depicts the mitred head-shaped reliquary bust that held the remains of Becket’s skull. The bust is surrounded by an architectural frame. Along the base is a damaged openwork inscription: ‘an:th’ (part of the phase ‘san:thom’ meaning ‘Saint Thomas’). Adding the name of a saint (or an abbreviation of it) to a badge was thought to strengthen the badge’s protective powers.  < ...Read more

Pilgrim badge from the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This badge depicts the mitred head-shaped reliquary bust that held the remains of Becket’s skull. The bust is surrounded by an architectural frame. Along the base is a damaged openwork inscription: ‘an:th’ (part of the phase ‘san:thom’ meaning ‘Saint Thomas’). Adding the name of a saint (or an abbreviation of it) to a badge was thought to strengthen the badge’s protective powers.

Thomas Becket was born in London in 1118. He became a royal official and a great friend of King Henry II. He was made Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. He argued with King Henry II, and fled to France in 1164. Thomas Becket returned to Canterbury in 1170 and was killed in the cathedral by four knights who thought this would please the king. People were outraged at the murder of an archbishop on holy ground and Becket was made a saint. He became one of the patron saints of London. Many Londoners travelled to Canterbury to pray at the shrine there and bought badges and ampullae (small bottles for holy water) as souvenirs of their pilgrimage. < Hide

Measurements

L 83 mm; W 45 mm

Materials

lead alloy

Last Updated

2024-03-14