St Thomas Becket head reliquary

This badge is a souvenir of the reliquary that held the top of Thomas Becket's skull in Canterbury cathedral. The reliquary was a life-sized bust of St Thomas and was covered in gold, silver and jewels. It was one of the most important holy places to visit during a Canterbury pilgrimage. Becket's head badges are the most common pilgrimage souvenirs found today - several hundred have been discovered in London alone. This one has a Latin inscription saying '+ S CAPVT THOME', meaning 'the head of St Thomas'.

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 as souvenirs of their pilgrimage.