Walking east along Cheapside, pause at the corner with Ironmonger Lane and have a look at the wall.
You will see a plaque saying that Thomas Becket, Chancellor, Archbishop and Martyr, son of Gilbert Becket, Mercer, was born here c1120 and just above it you can see an image of Thomas himself.
There’s some dispute about the exact year of his birth – it may have been 1119 or 1120 but there’s agreement about the date, 21 December, the feast day of St Thomas the Apostle.
So who was Thomas Becket?
He is probably best known as ‘Thomas a Becket’ to most British school kids, although the origins of the ‘a’ are obscure.
Well, Thomas was an English nobleman who proved himself efficient and reliable in a number of ecclesiastical posts, rising rapidly through the ranks.
He came to the notice of the King, Henry II (1133-1189), who appointed him as Lord Chancellor.
Thomas Becket was also very successful in this role, and he soon became a personal friend of the King.
He took on an additional role as Archbishop of Canterbury 7 years later, and Henry probably hoped that this would increase his own powers over the church and the state.
Things didn’t work out that way – Thomas became more austere and devout than ever, and resigned as Lord Chancellor.
This led to a growing number of disputes between Thomas and the King, over the rights and privileges of the clergy.
In 1170, Thomas excommunicated three of the King’s courtiers!
This infuriated Henry, and some of his heated comments were interpreted by four of his Knights as instructions to kill Thomas.
The exact words are lost in the mists of time but the most famous version is :
‘Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest’?!
Sad to say that the Knights, following these ‘instructions’, went to Canterbury and murdered Thomas in the Cathedral.
He was martyred soon after, in 1173, and was canonised as St Thomas Becket in 1770.
The house of Thomas’s birth became a regular stop for pilgrims going to Canterbury and a hospital and monastery were built on the spot and dedicated to St Thomas of Acon.
Steve
