Description

First published in 1920, this volume was written by the theologian, scholar, and canon of Canterbury Cathedral, Arthur James Mason. It was intended to bring together the known documentary evidence relating to the history of the relics of Thomas Becket. Divided into four sections, the book presents the narrative accounts of the death of Thomas Becket, the history of his tomb and the shrine dedicated to him, and the subsequent destruction of the shrine under the reign of Henry VIII. The last section, and the most significant for this study, is devoted to the discovery in 1888 of bones in the crypt of the cathedral thought to belong to Thomas Becket. The book offers a thorough overview of the evidence and circumstances of the discovery and encourages readers to draw their own conclusions.