I was lucky enough to recently pick up a pilgrim's ampulla dating back to the 15th century. These were small
phials made of lead that pilgrims carried with them to a saint's shrine whereupon they would be filled with a small
amount of holy water, oil or often what was claimed to be the blood of the saint. Ampulla worn around the neck became a recognised badge or sign of a Canterbury pilgrim.
Jonathan Sumption in his book 'Pilgrimage' explains that at Canterbury pilgrims would take home the 'water of St.Thomas'in samll phials. It is said that the monks wiped the floor of Becket's blood following his death and kept it diluted in a large cistern of water.
Apparently the water was continually diluted so as to meet the demand of pilgrims and Christ Church Priory charged the monks with 'preparing and pouring it into little ampullae for the use of the sick' - Sumption 2002 p.83.
Find out more about the Pilgrims' Way and walking the 'old road' to Canterbury at Walk Awhile's walking holidays website http://www.walkawhile.co.uk
