Saxon & Medieval — Late Medieval; mid-late 14th century
Our Lady of Eton
Pilgrim badge from the shrine of Our Lady of Eton. The badge depicts the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven: Mary stands with her hands joined in prayer inside a mandorla (an almond-shaped frame) from which rays of light project. The rays are tipped with pellets. Mary is flanked by two kneeling angels. Under her feet is a rebus – a letter E followed by a cask or tun, meaning ‘Eton’. Underneath the rebus is part of a shield with the royal arms (most of it is missing as the bottom of the badge has not survived).
King Henry VI encouraged pilgrimages to Eton after he founded a college there in 1440. He extended the parish church at Eton, which was dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, and dedicated his new college chapel to Our Lady of Eton. Henry arranged that pilgrims would receive indulgences at Eton on certain festivals of the Virgin and granted markets and fairs to Eton so pilgrims could be catered for.
- Category:
- Saxon & Medieval
- Object ID:
- 84.134
- Object name:
- Our Lady of Eton
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- Late Medieval; mid-late 14th century
- Material:
lead alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- H 50 mm, W 34 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.