Secondary sourceArtifact17th century

Tomb of Saint Thomas of Canterbury

R. Vaughan · 17th century

A 17th-century engraving by R. Vaughan showing the lost shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury, destroyed in 1538.

This engraving preserves the appearance of Becket's shrine, a central site of his veneration after martyrdom.

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Engraved print titled 'Figura Scrinii S. Thomae Cantuariensis ex M.S. in Bibliotheca Cottoniana desumpta'. It shows a tall ornate shrine with three finials on top, arched niches along its base, and a text column in Latin and English. Below is a smaller open chest showing skull fragments and bones. Signed 'Ra. Vaughan sculp.' and numbered 47. — R. Vaughan, Tomb of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, engraving, 17th century. Wellcome Collection.

About this source

What it is

This is an engraved print made by R. Vaughan, titled 'Figura Scrinii S. Thomae Cantuariensis', based on a manuscript in the Cottonian Library. It shows the ornate shrine built to hold the remains of Thomas Becket, along with a smaller chest displaying bone fragments, with a Latin and English text column.

Why it matters

Becket's shrine at Canterbury Cathedral was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in medieval England until it was destroyed in 1538 during the Reformation. This engraving is a rare visual record of what the shrine looked like before its destruction, helping historians understand how Becket was honoured after his death.

Look closer

What details in the engraving suggest the shrine was meant to be grand and impressive?
Why might someone in the 17th century have wanted to record the appearance of a shrine destroyed over a century earlier?
What does the depiction of bones tell us about medieval beliefs concerning relics and saints?

This artifact 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.