Aside from the shrine of Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey, the shrine of St Wite is the only shrine with relics in England to survive the Reformation. St Candida and Holy Cross was a site of pilgrimage and has been referred to as 'the Cathedral in the Vale'. The shrine of St Wite dates from the 13th century and consists of a limestone altar in which three oval openings are carved, and on top of which rests a stone coffin. The coffin contains a lead box inscribed "Here rest of the relics of St Wite", in which were found in the early 20th century the bones of a woman. Believing that the relics had healing powers, pilgrims would place belongings or diseased body parts into the oval openings.
This is part of the Series: LTC01/01 Lady Trenchard Cox: Series of Negatives; within the Collection: LTC01 Lady Trenchard Cox Collection
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Cox, Mary Desiree
Shrine, Early Medieval Benedictine Cell, Early Medieval Church, Early Medieval Minster, Medieval Benedictine Cell, Medieval Church, Medieval Parish Church, Post Medieval Parish Church, Religion
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