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Secondary sourcePainting

Shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury

Unknown

A later engraving showing Becket's shrine at Canterbury, the site of pilgrimage that developed after his murder.

Shows the shrine built in Becket's honor after his death, central to his legacy as a martyred saint.

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Engraved print titled 'Shrine from Hereford' showing a medieval shrine with arched side panels, a top register of figures around a tomb or bier, and a lower register of figures in robes, with a chalice and small objects. Scale bar below.
Shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, engraving. Wellcome Collection.

About this source

What it is

This is a printed engraving showing the shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, with arched panels, a tomb or bier, and robed figures. It is held by the Wellcome Collection and is a later print rather than a contemporary image.

Why it matters

After Thomas Becket's murder in Canterbury Cathedral, he was declared a saint and his shrine became one of the most important pilgrimage sites in medieval England. This engraving shows how the shrine was imagined and remembered long after Becket's death, reflecting the cult that grew around him.

Look closer

  • What details in the engraving suggest this was a holy and important place for visitors?
  • Why do you think people continued to make images of the shrine centuries after Becket died?
  • Since this is a later print, what might it get wrong or simplify about the real shrine?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Thomas Becket on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Document

Primary source

Constitutions of Clarendon

Henry II of England · 1164

Exterior view of Canterbury Cathedral under a clear blue sky. A tall Gothic central tower with pinnacles rises above the stone nave and side chapels, with large pointed windows and a sloping roof visible. Grass lies in the foreground.Artifact

Primary source

Canterbury Cathedral

founded 597

A rectangular gilt copper reliquary casket with blue champlevé enamel, set with oval glass gems along its lid and four feet. Front panels show gilded figures in scenes, including a bishop-like figure at an altar with a chalice, and an upper scene of a tomb or bier with mourners.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Casket

c. 1180-1190

A large semicircular textile, likely a chasuble, displayed flat in a curved glass case mounted on a white wall. Its faded beige fabric has repeating circular medallions containing small figures and patterns, with a vertical band down the center. Lights run along the top of the case.Artifact

Secondary source

Fermo Chasuble of St. Thomas Becket

12th century

Display case in a museum showing a pale cream silk liturgical robe with gold-embroidered borders on a mannequin, a pair of cream shoes, two long red-edged gold-patterned embroidered bands (stoles or orphreys), and a dark purple garment with gold trim at right.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Liturgical Garments, Sens Cathedral

12th century

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