St Anthony of Viennois

Part of a pilgrim badge from St Antony’s Hospital in Threadneedle Street, London. The badge would have been in the shape of a Tau cross (a T-shaped cross that resembles the Greek letter Tau) but only half of the cross stroke of the T remains. On the left side is a stitching loop (there would have been another on the right side). The badge is decorated with an inscription: ‘SAN’ (probably the beginning of the words ‘St Antonus’)

St Antony’s Hospital in London was set up by the Order of Hospitallers of St Antony. The Order specialised in treating a condition known as St Antony’s Fire (now called ergotism, caused by eating rye infected by a mould). The hospital’s masters raised its importance in the 15th century, attracting pilgrims and making souvenirs for them.