1The first window, on the left at the top of the Pilgrims’ Steps, is the Life of Becket Window. It includes the often-reproduced portrait of Thomas Becket at the centre of the bottom row. The original early thirteenth century glass, depicting the early life of Thomas Becket, was probably destroyed at the time of the Reformation (1538/1540).

The Becket window was extensively restored in 1925 by the renowned Cathedral glazier Samuel Caldwell Jr. Caldwell was not only a skilled restorer of ancient glass, but was an accomplished stained glass artist in his own right. He was able to reuse medieval glass – e.g. the face of Becket in the bottom may be original – alongside modern glass. He was able to re-create the “look and feel” of ancient glass so convincingly that he even managed to deceive colleagues and the stained glass experts of his time!

2The second window is a ‘modern’ (19th century) replacement by Clayton & Bell. John Clayton was a friend of Dante Gabriel Rosetti and other artists associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The firm also worked closely with the eminent Victorian architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, a leading exponent of the architectural style known as ‘Gothic Revival’.

3The third window was shortened c.1439 to allow for the construction of the Chantry Chapel of Henry IV. It consists of four rows of rotated square panels down the centre of the window, interspersed with 3 rows of pairs of circular panels in between, making 7 rows – 10 panels – in all.

4The fourth window (c.1214-18) contains 8 rows of roundels in pairs, set in a deep blue border with a diaper of foliage and berries. Panel 8 (fourth row, right) in this window portrays King Louis VII of France being visited by St Thomas in a dream, informing the king that his 14 year-old son Philip, who had fallen ill in August 1179, would recover.

5The fifth window, which dates from after 1213 but before 1220, consists of four rows of large roundels, each divided into four segments with 2 smaller panels on either side between the rows, making 22 panels in all. The topmost panel contains the famous representation of the Golden Shrine of Saint Thomas, with the saint ‘flying’ out if it. The glass in this window was probably installed prior to the grand ceremony of Becket’s translation on 7^th July 1220.

This window was removed in 2021 and loaned to the British Museum for its Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint exhibition (delayed a year by Covid), marking the 850th anniversary of the murder. The removal presented the opportunity for close up examination by Rachel Koopmans, Professor of History at York University, Toronto, and Leonie Seliger, Director of the Cathedral’s Stained Glass Studio. Their remarkable discoveries have led to the re-interpretation of several of the stories, and to the reuniting of a group of three panels, which had become separated during a previous restoration.

Note The ‘window’ that visitors see currently is in fact an acetate print. The window itself, is due to be reinstated some time in 2023. New research is indicated with an asterisk .

Top row

1 top segment The Martyr emerges from the Shrine in a vision of one of the monks, who is sleeping in a bed near the Shrine. This may even be Benedict or his colleague William, who spent several years noting the details of the 700+ miracles they observed at the first Becket tomb in the eastern crypt.

2left  This is not, as previously thought, the story of Roger of Valognes and his injured foot, but Ralph the leper who travels to Canterbury, to be bathed with holy water at the tomb. Careful scrutiny of the glass under a microscope has revealed tell-tale leprosy spots that have faded over time, and are now barely visible. 3right Ralph, now cured, gives thanks at the tomb.  At some point during a previous repair, the top part of Ralph’s torso has been replaced by that of a woman. This is an erroneous restoration carried out in the 1800s. The same research has revealed that panel 13in the third row below, also belongs to the miracle of Ralph the leper, and there are plans to reinstate it in its rightful place when the glass is reinstalled.

4bottom   not Godwin of Boxgrove, cured of leprosy, giving away his vestments but the monks giving Thomas’ clothing to the poor, as was the custom. The restorer modified the panel to fit the Godwin story by adding in the figure on the left. A b&w photograph from 1927 clearly shows an empty chair draped with the archbishops clothing, and mitre sitting on top. What happened to the mitre? After a little detective work, Leonie Seliger was able to find the missing mitre, inserted into Samuel Caldwell Jr’s reconstructed Life of Becket window (see window 1, panel 8 above). The panel in question shows Thomas before an altar – and his mitre does seem a little ill-fitting!  As the Caldwell window (1925) predates the photograph, it has been suggested that the switch occurred when the windows were re-instated in the late 1940s, having been removed for safe-storage during WWII.

5small panel left Goditha, suffering from dropsy (oedema) – a disease that causes fluid retention and swelling of the limbs – travels to Canterbury with a helper and, small panel right 6is cured.

Second row

This row is filled mostly with 19^th century glass, following restoration by George Austin Jnr. in c.1860. The image of St Thomas in the bottom segment 10 may be original (c.1214/1220).

The four main panels 7 89 and 10 and the two smaller panels below them, tell the story of the Lame Sisters of Boxley, the daughters of Godbold of Boxley, who have been lame since birth. One of the sisters is cured by a vision of St Thomas in a dream and is taken to Canterbury to give thanks. The other sister complains to St Thomas of having been neglected and (in the smaller panels, below) 11 travels with her able sister to the tomb, where 12 she too has a vision of the saint, and is cured.

Third row

13A man riding out of the City who, according to the Latin inscription, has been cured of leprosy.  This is not, as previously speculated, either Gerald of Porta Clausa or Walter of Lisors, but in fact, Ralph the leper from the top row, panels 2 & 3 of this window – the panel belongs with them as the top segment. The presence of two wyverns (two-legged winged dragons, symbols of impending doom) presiding over this scene, has long puzzled the experts. However, with this new attribution, a re-reading of the written account of the miracle of Ralph the leper reveals the reason. Ralph’s cure was short-lived. He had planned pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but his leprosy returned with a vengeance, even before he had started out.

14Eilward of Westoning, near Bedford, is falsely accused of abusing and stealing from Fulk, who owed Eilward a donarius (a silver coin). Eilward is brought before a magistrate (shown left wearing a white cap) and found guilty after being subjected to trial by immersion in water (not altogether reliable!).

15Eilward is condemned to be blinded and castrated and the magistrate is seen supervising the savage sentence being carried out.

16Eilward makes confession to a priest, who advises him to pray to St Thomas. He does so and soon his sight is restored. He travels to Canterbury to give thanks to St Thomas. He points to his eyes and gives away to the poor and crippled gifts, which he has received from other pilgrims and well-wishers.

17St Thomas is shown in a vision administering a cure to the eyes of Eilward.

18Eilward gives thanks at the tomb of St Thomas.

Fourth row

19Hugh, the Cellarer of Melrose Abbey, is dying and is seen receiving extreme unction from his Abbot.

20Hugh drinks Holy Water brought from the well near the tomb of St Thomas.

21Blood pours from Hugh’s nose and he is cured.

22Hugh gives thanks at the tomb of St Thomas (The original panel has been lost and replaced with a 19^th or early 20^th century copy).

6This is the largest of the Miracle Windows. Its complex design comprises four groups of scenes, each arranged around a central square panel. The top group of six scenes comprises two rows of three panels, followed by three groups of nine scenes, comprising three rows of three panels each. Unless otherwise indicated they should be read read from the top down, and from left to right:

first group – top six panels

Top row 1 Blind Juliana of Rochester, is led on pilgrimage by her father, Gerard. 2 She is supported by her father as she approaches the tomb of St Thomas, where a monk bathes her eyes with a solution mixed with the blood of the Saint but she must rely on her continued faith to be cured. 3 Seated at home with her father, Juliana gives thanks to St Thomas when her sight is restored.

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Second row 4 Richard Sunieve is a groom and herdsman. He is shown driving the horses of a knight of Edgeworth. 5 Richard sleeps in the field with the horses but contracts leprosy while sleeping. 6 At home his mother feeds him from a tray, keeping her distance and with her mouth covered against infection.

second group – nine panels

Row three (The miracle of Richard Sunieve continued) 7 Richard goes on pilgrimage to Canterbury to pray at the tomb of St Thomas, where the great swelling disappears from his face. 8 Richard shows his restored skin to his mother and his master, who touches his face in wonderment. 9 Richard gives thanks and makes a gift at the tomb of St Thomas.

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Row four 10-12 19^th and early 20^th century glass.

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Row five 13 Philip Scot of Warwickshire falls into the river whilst stoning frogs and is drowned. 14 The friends of Robertulus Bobby of Rochester run to tell Bobby’s parents of the drowning (the two stories have been mixed up). 15 The final panel shows Bobby’s lifeless body being pulled from the water as his distraught parents look on. Three further missing panels would have told how Bobby’s life was restored through prayer to St Thomas and how his parents gave thanks.

third group – nine panels

Row six 16-1819^th and early 20^th century glass.

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Row seven 19 Matilda of Cologne is mad, having killed her infant child. 20 She is beaten with clubs into submission by two men who bring her in a state of collapse to the tomb of St Thomas. 21 Matilda slowly recovers her sanity and the clubs are left by the tomb as an offering.

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Row eight 22-24 19^th century and early 20^th century glass.

fourth group – nine panels

The bottom group of nine panels at the foot of the window, tell the story of the House of Jordan Fitz-Eisulf – the story begins at the eleventh (bottom) row.

Row eleven 31 The family of Jordan Fitz-Eisulf is shown at the funeral of the family nurse, Britonis, who has died of the plague. 32 Jordan’s younger son, William, is also dying of the plague. A priest sprinkles holy water from the well near to the tomb of St Thomas, while his distraught father and mother look on. 33 The sick boy’s head is held up while Jordan pours holy water down his throat.

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Row nine 25 Jordan and his wife place a bowl of silver coins in the hands of their son, who is now miraculously recovering, to offer at the tomb of St Thomas, as they all vow to go on pilgrimage to Canterbury. 26 William, now almost fully recovered, is eating from a bowl, while his parents sit at his head and feet. 27 St Thomas appears in a dream to the leper, Gimp, to give a warning that serious consequences could befall if Jordan does not keep his promise to visit Canterbury.

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Row ten 28 Jordan and his wife visit the leper, Gimp, but do not heed the warning, which he delivers from St Thomas. 29 St Thomas is seen with a sword drawn to avenge Jordan’s broken promise to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. Jordan’s eldest son dies of the plague, while his grief-stricken family look on. 30 Jordan, his wife and recovered younger son, William, make a belated visit to the tomb of St Thomas to give thanks and the money that they had pledged.