The Book in the Cathedral : The Last Relic of Thomas Becket

From the bestselling author of "Meetings With Remarkable Manuscripts," this is a captivating account of the last surviving relic of Thomas Becket.

The assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 is one of the most famous events in European history. It inspired the largest pilgrim site in medieval Europe and many works of literature, from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" to T. S. Eliot's "Murder in the Cathedral" and Anouilh's "Becket."

In a thoughtful piece of historical detective work, Christopher de Hamel identifies the only surviving relic from Becket's shrine: the Anglo-Saxon Psalter, which Becket cherished throughout his time as Archbishop of Canterbury and may even have been holding when he was murdered.

Beautifully illustrated and published to coincide with the 850th anniversary of Becket's death, this book offers an engaging rediscovery of one of the most evocative artefacts of medieval England.