Illustrated Dictionary of British Churches - Reliquary Definition

History and Architecture

Reliquary

A container used to hold holy relics, usually of a saint. Generally only large churches, cathedrals, and monasteries would have such relics, and they would usually become popular pilgrimage destinations for people coming to pray to the saint in question. A reliquary could be practically any type of container, but were frequently ornately decorated chests of boxes, like the one on disply at St David's Cathedral in Wales. Many reliquaries were destroyed during the Reformation, and few that survived are on public display because they are so valuable.




National Trust

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Free entry to National Trust properties throughout England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus discounted admission to National Trust for Scotland properties.

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HISTORY CORNER
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This famous landscape garden designer gained his odd nickname from his habit of telling clients that their estates had 'great capability of improvement'



15 June, 1215

First draft of Magna Carta signed at Runnymede

One of the lesser known points of the 'Great Charter' was the establishment of a national system of weights and measures

This corpulent monarch's nickname before taking the throne was 'Prinny'



Passionate about British Heritage!