St Albans Badge (1856,0701.2095)

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This medieval pilgrim badge likely sold near the shrine of Britain's first martyr, St Alban, a Romano-Briton who refused to renounce Christianity and was executed as a result. Legend claims that the executioner lost his eyes so he couldn't savor the sight of St Alban's lifeless body. The intricate openwork badge features a mold cast design depicting the headless corpse of the saint kneeling on the left side, while a soldier stands to the right, grasping for eyeballs that have fallen from their sockets and now rest on his chest. A tree separates the pair, and an arch formed by two trees frames the executioner's sword. This disturbing scene also appears in richer media, underscoring Alban's status as holy martyr through the brutal circumstances of his death. A pilgrim to St Alban's Abbey may have purchased this badge to signify their special bond with the saint, with a pin on the reverse allowing it to be securely fastened to a hat or bag.