Pilgrimage Badges
Pilgrimage badges were worn by those who undertook a pilgrimage to a place considered to be holy. They often had an image of the saint that was venerated at that particular site. The sites that were venerated typically contained some or all of the remains of the saint in question.
Pilgrimage badges give us an important insight both into the culture of medieval Christendom and also into the character and distinctive contribution of the saint in question.
Pilgrimage badges associated with the shrine of Richard Caister have been found at a number of sites, including London, Salisbury and Canterbury which indicates a reputation that spanned, at the very least, southern England. There are a variety of versions of pilgrim badges associated with the shrine of Richard Caister.
Pilgrim Badge, rights holder The British Museum redistributed here under CC BY-SA 4.0 license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Richard Caister is depicted preaching from the pulpit in clerical robes with an amice over his shoulders. One had is raised in a typical pose.
A dove is shown flying towards his right ear. In Christian tradition, the Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove.
The pulpit is connected to a pentangular canopy which bears an inscription “Mr Caister of Norwich”. The canopy appears to resemble flames perhaps a reference to the spiritual experience Margery Kempe had at altar of St Stephen’s as she prayed there after Caister’s death.
Date: c.1430-1530
A cropped version of an image of a pilgrimage badge depicting Richard Caister.
Rights Holder: Suffolk County Council, redistributed by CC BY-SA 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Richard Caister is presented in the pulpit with his right arm raised.
Heis depicted wearing an academic hood indicating his reputation for significant learning.
Dates: c.1420-1460AD
This badge was recorded and identified by Dr Andrew Brown
© Museum of London
This badge depicts Richard Caister preaching from a pulpit.
He is depicted in clerical robes including an amice.
The figure of Caister is framed by a border that makes the letter ‘R’, the first letter of Richard Caister’s name.
The insrciption at the base is R. Cast’.
Dates: c.1450-1500.
Rights Holder: Musuem of London (Lon-931D60), redistributed by CC BY-SA 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Richard Caister is depicted preaching in the pulpit with his right arm raised.
The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove is seen to the right of Caister’s head. This indicates the Christian belief that it is by the Holy Spirit that the followers of Jesus may preach about him.
At the top right is a hand, which may represent the hand of God. Caister is surrounded by a rectangle, in which there is an inscription that reads: soli deo honor et gloria’ (to God alone be honour and glory).
Dates: c.1410-1500
Tin Lead Alloy, Richard Caister as priest standing in pulpit. King’s Lynn, Lynn Museum, PB 86 (Kunera 07528). Photo courtesy of Sara Fontes.
Caister is depicted preaching in the pulpit in the distinctive pose with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove around his head.
Again, the canopy of the pulpit resembles flames.
Dates: 1450-1500
© Museum of London
Caister is depicted preaching from a pulpit. Again, the Holy Spirit is presented in the form of a dove to the right of Caister’s head. T
he enscription around the edge reads ‘Soli deo hono et gloria’ being a phrase from 1 Timothy 1.17, ‘to God alone be honour and glory’.
The two hands at the top depict the hands of God the Father.
Once again, the frame of the badge includes the likeness of flames.