St Thomas Becket

Pilgrim badge from the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This badge depicts St Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury who became a saint after he was murdered in the cathedral by four knights of King Henry II on 29 December 1170. Becket is shown as a standing figure in the full vestments he would have worn at a mass. He holds a cross-staff in his left hand and wears patterned sandals. Canterbury was the most important centre of pilgrimage in England and the pilgrims that travelled there frequently bought souvenirs of their pious journey such as ampullae (small bottles for holy water), badges and figurines.