Two medieval pilgrim badges attributed to St Margaret, Queen of Scotland

Prosser, Lydia; Webley, Robert

Two medieval pilgrim badges attributed to St Margaret, Queen of Scotland

Resource type

Journal article

Creator (person)

Prosser, Lydia

Webley, Robert

Date published

2021

Abstract

Two late medieval lead-alloy badges found in Cambridgeshire, England, are argued here to belong to the cult of Saint Margaret of Scotland (r 1070–93). As such, they represent the first pilgrim souvenirs to be linked to this important Scottish saint, whose cultic centre was at Dunfermline, Fife, and for whom badges have been speculated but never before identified (S Lee 2014; Penman and Utsi 2020). The badges were recovered in separate incidents by metal detecting and recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme (pas). The following is an examination of the badges’ significance which integrates complementary material and literary sources in an effort to draw out the wider implications of the finds. Thorough in scope, it encompasses a detailed description of the badges and discussion of their imagery, form, date, potential contexts of manufacture, acquisition, use and eventual deposition in England.