St Thomas Becket

Pilgrim badge from the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This badge is in the form of a star with nine wavy rays (one has broken off and another has become detached). At the centre of the star is a depiction of the head-shaped reliquary bust that held the remains of Thomas Becket’s skull. The bust is flanked by an architectural design of openwork niches and pinnacles. There is a circular frame around the bust bearing the inscription ‘+ SANCTVS THOMAS’ (Saint 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 and ampullae (small bottles for holy water) as souvenirs of their pilgrimage.