Reviving the study of late medieval ‘boutons-enseignes’ in England

Webley, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2891-5814 (2025) Reviving the study of late medieval ‘boutons-enseignes’ in England. Medieval Archaeology, 69 (2). ISSN 1745-817X (In Press)

Abstract/Summary

In England, the copper-alloy, continental button-like badges discussed here, dating to the half century or so before the Reformation, have not received the same scholarly attention as lead-alloy pilgrim badges. This note aims to revive the study in England of these badges – generally termed ‘boutons-enseignes’ following literature in France (where most have been found) – by aligning insular scholarship with recent work on the continent. Specifically, I focus on examining those designs present within the current English corpus to try to identify distinctive patterns and practices.