The Becket Connection: employing the Becket story and 2020 anniversary as catalysts to transform heritage, tourism, education and community engagement

Lead Research Organisation: University of York
Department Name: History

Abstract

The Becket Connection offers a unique opportunity to model creative collaboration and technological innovation in bringing history and heritage to life for local, national and international audiences, through the story of one of the most famous and controversial figures of the Middle Ages.

CONTEXT
2020 will mark 900 years since the birth of Thomas Becket, 850 years since his murder in Canterbury Cathedral, and 800 years since the 'translation' of his relics. This triple anniversary coincides with 'The Canterbury Journey', a £24.7 million conservation, education and interpretation project at the Cathedral (completion 2021) which will ensure a long-term legacy for resources created. Moreover, a newly-founded Heritage Forum convened by the City Council is now seeking to reinvigorate the city's World Heritage site, and broaden and enhance Canterbury's tourism offer by connecting the much-visited Cathedral more closely to the city's many other outstanding historic sites.

This Follow-on initiative is driven by:
- new understanding of Becket's medieval cult and present-day visitor needs generated by the 2014-17 AHRC 'Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals' (PEC) project
- the digital visualisation expertise of the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture (Univ. of York)
- collaboration with the British Museum, Canterbury Archaeological Trust, Canterbury Museums & Galleries, Museum of London
- educational needs
- newly emerging heritage/tourism goals.

Collaboration with PEC partners and wide-ranging consultation with the City Council, business and community groups, heritage, tourism and cultural bodies in Canterbury, have revealed significant new heritage-tourism, educational and community engagement possibilities. The PEC project created detailed digital reconstructions of four key sites inside the cathedral (including Becket's shrine) which are already changing perceptions of pilgrim experience at Canterbury. The Follow-on proposal will create a new digital model of the whole Cathedral set in the medieval City of Canterbury, thus placing the interior models in a broader geocultural context, including medieval pilgrim routes and key buildings.

OUTCOMES
This innovative, interactive Cathedral/City model (amplified by other PEC research data) will have seven main outcomes for key heritage, educational, cultural, business and local community partners:

CONNECTING CATHEDRAL AND CITY
- Use in the new permanent Cathedral exhibition, revealing the multi-layered relationship between the Cathedral, Becket's shrine, and the city which grew in response to his cult and pilgrim needs.
- Providing a visual foundation for presenting a more integrated tourism offer for Canterbury, enhancing connections between the Cathedral, the City, and the rich multiplicity of heritage sites.

CONNECTING BECKET WITH HIS TIME
A new online/Flash Drive education resource (particularly for History, Literature and RE curricula)

SHAPING BECKET 2020 MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS/ACTIVITIES
Collaboration with the British Museum (providing digital assets for a major exhibition), Canterbury Museums and Museum of London

EXPLORING THE BECKET STORY TODAY THROUGH WORD AND IMAGE
Supporting drama, poetry, art and craft workshops, with the Marlowe Theatre and the Canterbury Journey, to stimulate creative contemporary responses to the Becket story from all age-groups and backgrounds

CONNECTING BECKET AND PILGRIMAGE TODAY
Shaping visitor trails and services for 2020, when the Cathedral also hosts the international Lambeth Conference

ENHANCING CANTERBURY-LONDON TOURISM LINKS
Connecting Becket's cult to his influence on London and its landscape for the Becket 2020 website

USING HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES TO INFORM CURRENT MANAGEMENT
Conference for managers of sacred sites, statutory advisors (including Historic England), historians, theologians, social scientists, reviewing current moves to restore shrines and relics to Anglican cathedrals

Planned Impact

The Becket Connection builds on the exceptionally fruitful partnership with Canterbury Cathedral and wider heritage networks formed through the AHRC Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals Project. The impact of the interconnected strands will have a transformative effect on partners and other stakeholders and engage new local, national and international audiences. Some impact is necessarily focused in the period 2018-2020 but most outputs will have significantly longer legacies. All outputs are responses to clearly-articulated partner needs and will thus be fully embedded in their plans. Impact will be evaluated, collated and compared through partner networks.

Chief beneficiaries will be:

1. CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL, CITY COUNCIL, OTHER TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS in developing a more integrated tourist offer for Canterbury to extend visitor stays and income. The Cathedral currently welcomes 1 million visitors annually. Its £24.7 million Canterbury Journey project addresses the need for new interpretation, especially for younger audiences. Creation of the digital model of the medieval Cathedral/City will supply an innovative visitor tool, visually demonstrating the multi-layered relationship between the Cathedral, Becket's shrine and the city which grew in response to pilgrim needs. This digital re-imagining is at the heart of the strategy to reconnect the city's heritage and will provide a narrative for reinvigorating relationships between its historic sites and widening visitor engagement

2. SCHOOLS USING EDUCATION RESOURCES PRODUCED. Resources will support teaching of History KS3 & 4 (Church and State), Literature (Chaucer) and RE (pilgrimage, sacred places, suffering for one's beliefs). The 3D models will be accompanied by primary sources; images; pilgrim records/narratives; material on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, holy places, and pilgrimage today. Canterbury Diocesan Education Dept. and the Canterbury Cathedral Learning team have identified these strands as being the materials schools need most, locally and nationally

3. THE CANTERBURY JOURNEY TEAM, THE BRITISH MUSEUM, CANTERBURY MUSEUMS & GALLERIES, MUSEUM OF LONDON AND THEIR AUDIENCES through the shaping/delivery of exhibition and website material for 2020 and beyond. Outputs will provide new, dynamic, interactive engagement tools for local, national and international audiences

4. PARTICIPANTS IN DRAMA, POETRY, ART AND CRAFT WORKSHOPS WITH THE MARLOWE THEATRE AND THE CANTERBURY JOURNEY. These workshops, designed to stimulate creative contemporary responses to the Becket story from all age groups, will be offered to the Canterbury Journey project local and regional target audiences, including areas of deprivation, and to new and existing users of the Marlowe outreach service, which has an excellent track record of connecting with young people and hard-to-reach groups (see Letters of Support)

5. VISITORS TO CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL IN 2020, INCLUDING THOSE ATTENDING THE INTERNATIONAL LAMBETH CONFERENCE; CATHEDRAL STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. The supply of trails for visitors, materials for the Cathedral's planned special services to mark the triple centenary, and material for a youth conference, will support Cathedral staff and volunteers in delivering an event of international interest. Visitors from around the world will be able to connect with the Becket story, which has considerable international and interdenominational resonance, and explore its relevance for today

6. THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, MANAGERS OF SACRED SITES, AND STATUTORY ADVISORS attending the conference on shrines and relics chaired by Dr John Inge, lead bishop on cathedrals for the Church of England. Current moves to reinstate shrines and re-acquire relics challenges historic Anglican practice and poses very significant questions for cathedral staff and advisors. The conference offers the first opportunity to debate the issues at national level and will help shape national Church policy and statutory advice
 
Title Digital visualisation of the medieval city of Canterbury 
Description Movies generated from a detailed 3D visualisation of the medieval city of Canterbury in 1450 highlighting the Cathedral, and key pilgrim buildings and routes. 
Type Of Art Film/Video/Animation 
Year Produced 2019 
Impact This model will be used by Visit Kent, Visit Canterbury, Canterbury City Council as the visual basis of a new tourism strategy showcasing the breadth of the city's heritage offer and re-invigorating the World Heritage Site. 
 
Title The Becket Story website resource 
Description A comprehensive website resource presenting the story of Thomas Becket from birth to death and consequent cult and his influence on the City of London, Canterbury and the growth of pilgrimage in Europe. 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2020 
Impact We have had significant feed back from partners, industry practitioners and the public to say how great this is and what a valuable resource we have produced. 
URL http://thebecketstory.org.uk/
 
Description This project was designed to mobilise the wide-ranging research outcomes from the Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals, past and present' project. In the process, the potential cultural, educational and economic benefits of resourcing celebrations of the triple Thomas Becket anniversary in 2020 have become even clearer and opportunities to employ project research have multiplied. Not only are nine strategic partners involved in marking the Becket 2020 celebrations in Canterbury but interest has been aroused in celebrating Becket's influence on London. The project team are now facilitating and coordinating a series of high profile events in London for 2020, with a new set of partners including the City of London Corporation, St Paul's Cathedral, the Museum of London, British Museum, Livery Companies, and the Diocese of London. In addition, a long-term legacy is being developed through the creation of online educational resources. The delivery of these events has now commenced with a lecture at the Mercers Hall in February, and an exhibition of Becket pilgrim badges at the Museum of London. A new online resource for the general public which includes educational materials was launched in February 2020.

As part of the project, a new architecturally-detailed model of the medieval city of Canterbury has been developed and is being used by partners in tourism strategies, educational resources and exhibitions, including at Canterbury Cathedral, the Beaney Museum in Canterbury and the British Museum.
Exploitation Route The national programme of Cathedral and Pilgrimage celebrations which are developing with support from this project will provide the opportunity for all cathedral to engage more effectively with visitors and local communities. In addition, the digital models of tourism presentation which are being developed in partnership with the City of Canterbury will offer a paradigm which will be of value to other historic cities in recreating their past for heritage engagement.
Sectors Creative Economy,Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
URL https://www.thebecketstory.org.uk
 
Description The material created and disseminated through the project has shaped tourism strategies, cultural events, exhibitions (temporary and permanent), and civic celebrations in Canterbury and London and has contributed to the creation of a national Year of Cathedrals and Pilgrimage in 2020 which will be a major factor in enhancing visitor engagement and tourism strategies across England and Wales . Educational materials for teaching History, Literature and RE in schools were created and were launched in early 2020 as part of the Becket Story website. In addition a special interactive digital resources on Becket, Canterbury and Pilgrimage will be used by Canterbury Cathedral in its new HLF-funded schools and community outreach. Project outputs, including a digital recreation of the medieval shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, have shaped the planning and content of a major exhibition at the British Museum (launch delayed by COVID-19 from October 2020 to April 2021). Collaboration with partners continues with input into a medieval pageant on the life of Thomas Becket to be staged at the Guildhall in 2022
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Creative Economy,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural
 
Description University of York Research Priming Fund
Amount £6,851 (GBP)
Organisation University of York 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2017 
End 07/2018
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 CELEBRATION 
Organisation City of London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer organised a University of York funded workshop at the Museum of London in June 2018 to explore the possibility of staging Becket and London events in 2020 (which will mark the 900th anniversary of Becket's birth on the site of the present Mercers' Hall and the 850th anniversary of his death). The PI has established the Coordinating Committee and liaises with all partners. The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have supplied research on historical connections between St Thomas Becket and the City of London which have provided the foundation for a series of commemorative events to be held in 2020. The PI, PDRA, Impact Officer and Technology lead are creating an online resource on the life and influence of Thomas Becket
Collaborator Contribution THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: Hosting meetings at the Guildhall Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Providing administrative support to the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Sponsoring a reception at the Guildhall on October 28,2020 following a special service at St Paul's Cathedral THE MERCERS' COMPANY: Hosting/funding a lecture on Becket and London, recital of Becket music and a reception at the Mercers' Hall on February 25, 2020 Funding an online educational resource on Becket and London Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Staging a special service on October 28, 2020 to commemorate Becket's influence on London DIOCESE OF LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Advising on creation of Becket educational resources for teaching History, Literature, Citizenship and RE MUSEUM OF LONDON Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee Staging a display on Becket's influence on London in 2020
Impact Planned tourism/cultural events for 2020 Online educational resource as long-term legacy
Start Year 2018
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 CELEBRATION 
Organisation Diocese of London
Department Board for Schools
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer organised a University of York funded workshop at the Museum of London in June 2018 to explore the possibility of staging Becket and London events in 2020 (which will mark the 900th anniversary of Becket's birth on the site of the present Mercers' Hall and the 850th anniversary of his death). The PI has established the Coordinating Committee and liaises with all partners. The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have supplied research on historical connections between St Thomas Becket and the City of London which have provided the foundation for a series of commemorative events to be held in 2020. The PI, PDRA, Impact Officer and Technology lead are creating an online resource on the life and influence of Thomas Becket
Collaborator Contribution THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: Hosting meetings at the Guildhall Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Providing administrative support to the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Sponsoring a reception at the Guildhall on October 28,2020 following a special service at St Paul's Cathedral THE MERCERS' COMPANY: Hosting/funding a lecture on Becket and London, recital of Becket music and a reception at the Mercers' Hall on February 25, 2020 Funding an online educational resource on Becket and London Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Staging a special service on October 28, 2020 to commemorate Becket's influence on London DIOCESE OF LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Advising on creation of Becket educational resources for teaching History, Literature, Citizenship and RE MUSEUM OF LONDON Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee Staging a display on Becket's influence on London in 2020
Impact Planned tourism/cultural events for 2020 Online educational resource as long-term legacy
Start Year 2018
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 CELEBRATION 
Organisation Mercers Company
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer organised a University of York funded workshop at the Museum of London in June 2018 to explore the possibility of staging Becket and London events in 2020 (which will mark the 900th anniversary of Becket's birth on the site of the present Mercers' Hall and the 850th anniversary of his death). The PI has established the Coordinating Committee and liaises with all partners. The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have supplied research on historical connections between St Thomas Becket and the City of London which have provided the foundation for a series of commemorative events to be held in 2020. The PI, PDRA, Impact Officer and Technology lead are creating an online resource on the life and influence of Thomas Becket
Collaborator Contribution THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: Hosting meetings at the Guildhall Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Providing administrative support to the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Sponsoring a reception at the Guildhall on October 28,2020 following a special service at St Paul's Cathedral THE MERCERS' COMPANY: Hosting/funding a lecture on Becket and London, recital of Becket music and a reception at the Mercers' Hall on February 25, 2020 Funding an online educational resource on Becket and London Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Staging a special service on October 28, 2020 to commemorate Becket's influence on London DIOCESE OF LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Advising on creation of Becket educational resources for teaching History, Literature, Citizenship and RE MUSEUM OF LONDON Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee Staging a display on Becket's influence on London in 2020
Impact Planned tourism/cultural events for 2020 Online educational resource as long-term legacy
Start Year 2018
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 CELEBRATION 
Organisation Museum of London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer organised a University of York funded workshop at the Museum of London in June 2018 to explore the possibility of staging Becket and London events in 2020 (which will mark the 900th anniversary of Becket's birth on the site of the present Mercers' Hall and the 850th anniversary of his death). The PI has established the Coordinating Committee and liaises with all partners. The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have supplied research on historical connections between St Thomas Becket and the City of London which have provided the foundation for a series of commemorative events to be held in 2020. The PI, PDRA, Impact Officer and Technology lead are creating an online resource on the life and influence of Thomas Becket
Collaborator Contribution THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: Hosting meetings at the Guildhall Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Providing administrative support to the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Sponsoring a reception at the Guildhall on October 28,2020 following a special service at St Paul's Cathedral THE MERCERS' COMPANY: Hosting/funding a lecture on Becket and London, recital of Becket music and a reception at the Mercers' Hall on February 25, 2020 Funding an online educational resource on Becket and London Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Staging a special service on October 28, 2020 to commemorate Becket's influence on London DIOCESE OF LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Advising on creation of Becket educational resources for teaching History, Literature, Citizenship and RE MUSEUM OF LONDON Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee Staging a display on Becket's influence on London in 2020
Impact Planned tourism/cultural events for 2020 Online educational resource as long-term legacy
Start Year 2018
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 CELEBRATION 
Organisation St Paul's Cathedral
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer organised a University of York funded workshop at the Museum of London in June 2018 to explore the possibility of staging Becket and London events in 2020 (which will mark the 900th anniversary of Becket's birth on the site of the present Mercers' Hall and the 850th anniversary of his death). The PI has established the Coordinating Committee and liaises with all partners. The PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have supplied research on historical connections between St Thomas Becket and the City of London which have provided the foundation for a series of commemorative events to be held in 2020. The PI, PDRA, Impact Officer and Technology lead are creating an online resource on the life and influence of Thomas Becket
Collaborator Contribution THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION: Hosting meetings at the Guildhall Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Providing administrative support to the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Sponsoring a reception at the Guildhall on October 28,2020 following a special service at St Paul's Cathedral THE MERCERS' COMPANY: Hosting/funding a lecture on Becket and London, recital of Becket music and a reception at the Mercers' Hall on February 25, 2020 Funding an online educational resource on Becket and London Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Staging a special service on October 28, 2020 to commemorate Becket's influence on London DIOCESE OF LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee. Advising on creation of Becket educational resources for teaching History, Literature, Citizenship and RE MUSEUM OF LONDON Supplying a representative to serve on the Becket and London 2020 Coordinating Committee Staging a display on Becket's influence on London in 2020
Impact Planned tourism/cultural events for 2020 Online educational resource as long-term legacy
Start Year 2018
 
Description Becket and London 2020 partnership with the Mercers Company 
Organisation Mercers Company
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Using research and digital recreations of pilgrimage to Becket's shrine in Canterbury from the AHRC Pilgrimage and England's Cathedral's project and the digital model created as part of the Becket connection as key elements in a new online resource telling the story of Becket's life, death and ongoing influence on London, Canterbury and Europe.
Collaborator Contribution The Mercers Company provided the services of their archivist, as well as archival material and images from their collections. They also funded and hosted a Becket and London public lecture, recital of medieval music and reception on February 25, 2020 attended by the Bishop of London, the Deans of St Paul's Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral, City of London representatives, members of city livery companies, museum curators, and the general public. The Mercers Company also helped to fund a new online resource telling the story of Thomas Becket and his influence on London
Impact A major new online resource https://www.thebecketstory.org.uk A lecture 'Thomas Becket and London' by Professor Caroline Barron OBE. See https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/becket-london
Start Year 2018
 
Description CANTERBURY CITY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 
Organisation Canterbury City Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution PI serves on Canterbury City Council Heritage Forum. A new digital recreation of the medieval city of Canterbury will be used by the City Council Tourism and Marketing Teams as a visual foundation for a new tourism strategy showcasing the breadth of the city's heritage offer and re-invigorating the World Heritage Site.
Collaborator Contribution CANTERBURY CITY COUNCIL Hosting meetings. Building partner network. Provides representative for the project Steering Group. Contributing to planning of new tourism strategy. Embedding of resources created for long-term effectiveness.
Impact New tourism strategy and outputs are under construction for 2020.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Canterbury Cathedral 
Organisation Canterbury Cathedral
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Historical research and contemporary visitor surveys to inform current and future management Creation of detailed 3D digital visualisation of medieval pilgrimage to four sites within the cathedral for use for in education and visitor outreach
Collaborator Contribution Staff time:- Visitor department; Archivist; Cathedral archaeologist; Canon responsible for care of visitors and pilgrims; Education team; HLF 'Canterbury Journey' project Director and Head of Learning and Participation
Impact Working with cathedral archaeologists, cathedral historian, cathedral archivist and education team to agree approach to recreating the medieval experience of pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket and to plan the use of this 3D visualisation in the cathedral's longterm visitor provision (Dee Dyas, John Jenkins, Anthony Masinton, Patrick Gibbs, Louise Hampson, Eamon Duffy) Working with education/visitor team using historical and contemporary visitor research to plan exhibition content for 'The Canterbury Journey' Heritage Lottery Fund Stage 2 application (Dee Dyas, John Jenkins, Anthony Masinton, Patrick Gibbs, Louise Hampson) Providing training for volunteers and education outreach through invited lecture 'Reconstructing the Medieval Pilgrimage Experience at Canterbury) (Annual Cathedral and Archives Lecture, John Jenkins)
Start Year 2014
 
Description Commemorating Thomas Becket and London in 2020 
Organisation City of London
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Contributing research on the life and influence of Thomas Becket from the Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals project and subsequent funded project; devising and organising the London Becket 2020 programme of commemorative and educational activities and resources.
Collaborator Contribution Funding the PI to create and direct the Becket and London 2020 Committee. Hosting meetings at the Guildhall and supplying administrative support. Providing a Reception at the Guildhall following the Commemorating Thomas Becket Service at St Paul's Cathedral in October 2020.
Impact https://www.thebecketstory.org.uk 'Becket and London' public lecture. See https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/becket-london museum of london Becket exhibition https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london/whats-on/exhibitions/becket2020 Service to commemorate Thomas Becket St Paul's Cathedral October 2020
Start Year 2018
 
Description PARTNERSHIP WITH CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 
Organisation Canterbury Cathedral
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Research on the life and cult of Thomas Becket, medieval pilgrimage to Canterbury, pilgrim sites within the cathedral. Digital recreation of the cathedral in the setting of medieval Canterbury for use in the new HLF-funded exhibition. Creation of digital educational resource on Becket, Canterbury and Pilgrimage to be used with school and community groups.
Collaborator Contribution Key staff serve on project Steering Group. Provide hardware and exhibition space for use of project digital outputs.
Impact Permanent exhibition in the new Cathedral Welcome Centre.
Start Year 2014
 
Description PARTNERSHIP WITH CANTERBURY MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES 
Organisation Canterbury Museums and Galleries
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution PI, PDRA and Impact Officer have contributed research findings to shaping the exhibition which will also use project digital reconstructions of medieval pilgrimage to Canterbury
Collaborator Contribution Senior Curator serves on project Steering Group. Staging Becket exhibition in 2020 incorporating project digital outputs.
Impact Exhibition on Becket and pilgrimage for 2020.
Start Year 2018
 
Description PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARLOWE THEATRE 
Organisation Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution PI, and PDRA have contributed research findings as resources for a new drama on Thomas Becket to be staged in 2020.
Collaborator Contribution Artistic Director serves on project Steering Group. Creative team produce new drama.
Impact New drama on the life of Thomas Becket will be produced for 2020.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Partnership with the British Museum 
Organisation British Museum
Department Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Development of detailed digital reconstructions of the city of Canterbury c.1450 showing the influence of Becket's cult, together with animated recreations of medieval pilgrim experience within the cathedral.
Collaborator Contribution The Curator of Late Medieval Europe, Naomi Speakman served on the Steering Group and the project Executive Board. The British Museum will provide the necessary hardware and expertise for the use of the models and images in the Becket 2020 exhibition.
Impact An online resource covering the life, death and ongoing influence of Thomas Becket on London, Canterbury and Europe was launched in February 2020. The website draws on the close research and impact partnership with the British Museum which will also produce a major Thomas Becket exhibition to be staged Oct 2020-February 2021. The website and exhibition both use detailed digital reconstructions of the city of Canterbury c.1450 showing the influence of Becket's cult, together with animated recreations of medieval pilgrim experience within the cathedral.
Start Year 2018
 
Description AEC Cathedrals Conference, Manchester, 18 September 2018: Workshop "The uniqueness of place; interpreting Christian faith through our buildings to visitors and pilgrims" 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact We presented a workshop on our research and its implications for faith-centred interpretation to 83 delegates at the first-ever national cathedrals conference (490 delegates) organised by the Association for English Cathedrals.We had two short presentations, each followed by a question activity where delegates fed back what had struck a chord with them and, secondly, what they would take back to implement and focus on for interpretation. We had several (10+) requests follwoing this for further one-to-one disucssion and follwo-up work.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL http://www.sacredspace2018.org/programme/
 
Description Association of English Cathedrals Executive Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Discussion/planning to embed research outcomes permanently in cathedral management.
Decision to make 2020 a national 'Year of Cathedrals and Pilgrimage' with major national, regional and local tourism initiatives
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
URL https://www.englishcathedrals.co.uk/
 
Description BBC interview (Dr John Jenkins) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact John was invited for an interview on a BBC South East Today to talk about and promote the Thomas Becket and Canterbury research and the 3D medieval model of Canterbury City
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description BECKET AND LONDON 2020 PLANNING GROUP 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Communicating research findings on Becket and London to key London stakeholders (City of London Corporation policy and tourism staff), Museum of London curators, British Museum curators, Livery Company representatives, and representatives of St Paul's Cathedral and Diocese of London for purpose of identifying suitable commemorative events to stage in 2020. .
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Becket and London Workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A workshop was held at the Museum of London to consider whether the City of London other organisations wished to hold commemorative events to mark the anniversary of the birth and death of Thomas Becket in 2020. Attendees included representatives of the City of London Corporation, the Mercers' Company, the Skinners' Company, St Paul's Cathedral, the Museum of London, the British Museum, Canterbury Cathedral and the Diocese of London.

As a result a series of major events has been planned for 2020.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description CANTERBURY TOURISM SCOPING 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Sharing project research and digital outputs in planning session with Visit Canterbury, Canterbury City Council Tourism team, Canterbury Business Improvement District. Partners now working on plans for incorporation of outputs into new tourism strategy
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Cathedrals 2020 National Steering Group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact National planning group for 2020 Celebration of Cathedrals, Saints and Pilgrimage
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019
 
Description Collaboration with The Beaney Musuem, Canterbury on their forthcoming Becket Exhibition 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The Beaney Museum is running an exhibition as part of the Becket 2020 triple anniversary celebrations, focsuing on health and Becket's cult as a source of healing in the Middle Ages.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
URL https://canterburymuseums.co.uk/events/saint-thomas-becket-world-celebrity-healer/
 
Description Collaboration with the British Museum preparing for their major Becket Exhibition to run Oct 2020-Feb 2021 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Working with the two lead curators on developing the storyline, themes and content of this major BM exhibition.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
URL https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/thomas-becket
 
Description Daily Telegraph newspaper interview and article 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Interview for the Daily Telegraph and news story 7th July 2020 on the digital models of Becket's shrine
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/06/plans-canterbury-tales-video-game-visits-thomas-beckets-...
 
Description Exhibition planning meeting with British Museum 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Planning meeting with British Museum Curators for the forthcoming 'Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint' exhibition (postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/thomas-becket-murder-and-making-saint
 
Description Festival of Christian Pilgrimage, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Online lecture on pilgrimage past and present and contemporary visitor engagement. Subsequently published in the Church Times
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://pilgrimage.hymnsam.co.uk/
 
Description Invited long-form blog post for British Museum exhibition website 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A 1500 word blog for the British Museum website, invited by the curators of the Thomas Becket: Murder and the Making of a Saint exhibition, on Thomas Becket's translation, intended for a general readership. The blog has been read around 20,000 times to date.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://blog.britishmuseum.org/why-did-they-move-thomas-beckets-bones/
 
Description Lecture for Society for Church Archaeology 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Invited lecture on 'Modelling the Shrine of St Thomas Becket' for the Society for Church Archaeology, held over Zoom and free-to-attend, with the recording hosted on Youtube. 255 attendees on the day, and over 300 views of the video on Youtube within two days of upload. There were a large number of interested questions afterwards, and several follow-ups for further information by email and social media. Cathedral guides and volunteers reported that they would change their visitor interpretations of the shrine area based on the talk.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klcUJNix5UQ
 
Description London Medieval Society, 'Becket and the Medieval City of London' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact 45-minute talk with questions on Thomas Becket and the medieval city of London to a public colloquium organised by the London Medieval Society. This disseminated information about the Becket2020 anniversary plans in London, and raised awareness of the educational resources being prepared and provided on Becket and London.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Press Release - Taylor and Francis Publishers for Shrine Reconstructions 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Publishers of the British Archaeological Association issued a press release about Jenkins article 'Modelling the Cult of Thomas Becket' in the 2020 Journal of the British Archaeological Association. Resulted in positive coverage in Times, Telegraph, Mail Online, BBC website, and internationally in German, Spanish, French, and Portuguese-language news.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Radio Interview - BBC Radio Kent on Thomas Becket and digital visualisations of medieval Canterbury and pilgrim experience within the cathedral 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A radio interview with BBC Radio Kent on Thomas Becket and Canterbury and the regional heritage and tourism
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.thebecketstory.org.uk
 
Description Saints, Shrines, Relics and Cathedrals Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact First conference bringing together national church leaders, cathedral staff, policy makers, statutory advisors, architects and archaeologists, to discuss the impact of current moves to reinstate medieval shrines in cathedrals. Feedback indicates that advisors and cathedral managers are rethinking approaches and guidance and wish to pursue the topics raised in future discussions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Talk and workshop with York schools 'History Nerds' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Workshopping activities followed by a talk and questions on Thomas Becket to 30 pupils aged 16-18 from York schools, with 7 teachers, meeting as part of the area's 'History Nerds' programme for students interested in history. The teachers reported great interest in Becket and medieval history more generally as an outcome of the session.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://yorkclio.com/history-nerds/
 
Description Talk on Becket's shrine at 'Curating Becket' event for the British Museum at the International Center of Medieval Art 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A digital session for ICMA members coinciding with the Thomas Becket: Murder and the Making of a Saint exhibition at the British Museum. Around 120 people attended, including my talk on the digital models of Becket's shrine and of the city of Canterbury made as part of the two AHRC projects with the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture. The questions and discussions with curators and art historians showed that they had changed their opinions and ideas on the use of digital reconstructions in exhibitions and the classroom.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description The Mercers Company Launch Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Dee to complete
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Times Newspaper interview and article 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Interview for an article in The Times, 7th July 2020, on the digital models of Becket's shrine made by the project
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/thomas-beckets-casket-is-digitally-reconstructed-vkx5wnxdw
 
Description Year of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage Executive Board 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Planning meeting for the 2020 Year of Cathedrals. Year of Pilgrimage visitor engagement initiative for England and Wales
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019,2020
URL https://www.englishcathedrals.co.uk/