The shrine of Thomas a Becket, martyred archbishop of Canterbury, drew hordes of pilgrims to Canterbury Cathedral during the middle ages. Among the most famous of these pilgrims are those created by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales. The images included here will allow you to explore stories of Becket and those who sought his help, as depicted in Canterbury Cathedral's stained glass.

Pilgrims

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window IX: Pilgrims on the road to Canterbury

South Choir, Window 2: A cripple healed at the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket.

Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury called the "holy, blisful martyr" by Geoffrey Chaucer in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. Born in London, December 21, 1118. Died in Canterbury, December 29, 1170.

Offering

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window IX: pilgrims make an offering at Becket's tomb

Becket's original tomb was in the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral. On July 7, 1220, fifty years after his martyrdom, Becket's remains were translated to a new shrine in his honor in the Trinity Chapel of the Cathedral.

Trinity 7;1-6

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 7, medallions 1-6: The medallions in this window tell stories of people healed by St. Thomas.

Trinity 7;7-12

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 7, medallions 7-12. The story of William Kellet begins in middle left medallion.

William of Kellet, a Lancashire carpenter, cut his leg with an ax while working at his bench. He dreams of St. Thomas and when the woman tending him unlooses his bandage, she finds no wound.

William Kellet

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 7: William Kellet's wound disappears

Trinity 7;11-16

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 7, medallions 11-16.

The story of Adam the Forester begins in middle left medallion. A poacher shot Adam the Forester in the throat while another poacher carried off a deer. Adam drinks the holy water of St. Thomas and is healed.

Adam Forester

South Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 7: Adam Forester's thank offering

Trinity 5;1

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 5, medallion 1: This window contains more miracles of St. Thomas. In the top section of the medallion St. Thomas emerges from his shrine appears to a sleeping monk. Miracles at the shrine of St. Thomas were chronicled by two monks, William and Benedict. The sleeping monk in this window may represent one of these two chroniclers.

In the top medallion, St. Thomas, wearing mass vestments emerges from his shrine. 2. A man with a swollen foot bathes it by the tomb. 3. A woman, wearing green stockings, returns to the tomb to give thanks. Godwin of Boxgrove takes off his clothes and gives them to the poor to give thanks for his recovery from leprosy. 5. A woman with drospy comes to the cathedral. 6. She and her servant leave after she has been cured.

Trinity 5;2

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 5, medallion 2 : A woman with dropsy leaves cured; the curing of Godbold of Boxley's daughters. Godbold's two daughters, both of whom were born lame, come to the cathedral hoping for a cure. St. Thomas appears while the older sister sleeps and the younger sister prays. The older sister gives thanks for her cure while the weeping younger sister sees the saint the next night and is cured.

Trinity 5;3

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 5, medallion 3: This includes the story of Eilward of Westoning, who steals from his neighbor, Fulk, to pay off his debts, and is brought before the magistrate. He is sentenced to blinding and mutilation. St. Thomas appears, makes the sign of the cross over his bed, restoring Eilward's sight.

Trinity 5;4

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 5, medallion 4: Hugh the cellerar receives extreme unction from the Abbot of Jervaulx and drinks the holy water of St. Thomas. Blood pours from his nose and he is cured.

Trinity 11;1

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 11, lower sections: An offering at the tomb, a priest ministers to the sick, a man makes a thank offering, a child, perhaps Cecily of Plumstead, sits up in her bier, Gilbert le Brun, supposed to be dead, sits up and embraces his father, Gilbert's thank offering, a funeral. Cecily

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 11: detail 13, a child, (Cecily of Plumstead) sits up in her bier.

Cecily of Plumstead contracted cancer when she was fifteen years old, which ate away at her thighs, exposing bone and muscle. She suffered for over six months, finally deteriorating to the point where she took no food or drink. Her family and friends, thinking she was dead, prepared her body for burial, but her father, in the extremity of his grief, prayed to St. Thomas to return service he had rendered to the saint during his lifetime. St. Thomas heard Jordan of Plumstead's prayer for Cecily stretched out her hand and removed the linen sheet that covered her body. In three weeks her cancerous sores were healed without medicine.

Gilbert

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 11: detail 14, a boy embraces his father.

Trinity 11;2

North Aisle, Trinity Chapel, Window 11: More miracles, including that of John of Roxburgh. John, a groom of Roxburgh, was thrown into the River Tweed by his stampeding horse. He was rescued by St. Thomas and crawled along a bridge to shelter while two of his friends in a boat searched the river for his body. Two women in the house of the tollgate keeper tended his body in front of a smoking fire.