Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sacred Silver & Stained Glass, Room 83, The Whiteley Galleries

Communion Cup and Cover

1683 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

These small and easily portable cups were used for administering communion to the sick at home. They held the consecrated wine. Rare early survivals, the cups belonged to St Martin’s-in-the-Fields, one of London’s most celebrated churches. St James’s Piccadilly was the only other London parish recorded as owning a sick cup at this date.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cup
  • Cover (Closure)
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt, raised and engraved
Brief description
A silver-gilt cup and cover, one of a pair, made for giving communion to the sick and infirm for use in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields from 1683
Physical description
A small silver-gilt cup on trumpet-shaped foot with moulded girdles, the deep cylindrical bowl with low domed paten cover with spool form foot.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.2cm
Copy number
one of a pair
Marks and inscriptions
maker's mark MK mullet above and below in lozenge shaped shield, numbered '29' and engraved 'St. Martins Par: for Priv.Com. April 10 1684'
Gallery label
Communion Cups and Covers for the Sick These small and easily portable cups were used for administering communion to the sick at home. They held the consecrated wine. Rare early survivals, the cups belonged to St Martin’s-in-the-Fields, one of London’s most celebrated churches. St James’s Piccadilly was the only other London parish recorded as owning a sick cup at this date. England (London), 1683–4 Silver gilt Museum nos. M.4-2005; M.5-2005 Given by The Whiteley Trust(22/11/2005)
Object history
The churchwardens' accounts for St. Martin's document the purchase of all of the silver including three gilt cups and covers which were acquired by Mr. John Smalbone, Churchwarden in April/May 1683/4 for £10 16 shillings

Historical significance: Used for administering communion to the sick at home, these cups are small for convenience of carriage and because the capacity needed was limited. They are rare early survivals. St. James's Piccadilly was the only other church documented as owning a 'sick' cup at this date.
Historical context
St. Martin's-in-the-Fields is one of London's most celebrated churches. By 1683 the old Tudor church housed an expanding congregation.
Summary
These small and easily portable cups were used for administering communion to the sick at home. They held the consecrated wine. Rare early survivals, the cups belonged to St Martin’s-in-the-Fields, one of London’s most celebrated churches. St James’s Piccadilly was the only other London parish recorded as owning a sick cup at this date.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Edwin Freshfield, The Communion Plate of the Parish Churches in the County of London, 1895,p.50
Collection
Accession number
M.5:2-2005

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Record createdFebruary 18, 2005
Record URL
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