Saxon & Medieval — Late Medieval; 14th century
Rood of Grace
Part of a pilgrim souvenir of the Rood of Grace, Boxley Abbey. This fragment is the head of a hollow figurine of Christ. There is a line of tears running down his face from both eyes. Boxley Abbey in Kent was a popular stopping-off point for pilgrims on their way to St Thomas Becket’s shrine in Canterbury. The rood at Boxley Abbey had a life-sized figure of Christ, which was famous for shedding tears. Sometimes the face would also move. In 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the rood was taken down and a mechanical device was found inside the head, revealing that the miraculous moving face was in fact complex trickery.
- Category:
- Saxon & Medieval
- Object ID:
- 97.84
- Object name:
- Rood of Grace
- Object type:
- figurine, pilgrim souvenir
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- —
- Related events:
- —
- Related places:
- Boxley, Kent
- Production date:
- Late Medieval; 14th century
- Material:
- pewter
- Measurements/duration:
- H 48 mm, W 24 mm, D 27 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Credit:
- —
- Copyright holder:
- digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.