Silver Cup at St Mary's College, St Andrews

Abstract

The St Andrews Cup under consideration was made in London, and bears the hall-mark for 1613-14. It is an uncommon form of secular wine-cup and is unlikely to have been used as a chalice since the nature of the decoration precludes the satisfactory cleansing of the bowl after use. Secular vessels have frequently been presented to churches and used for chalices, but at the period when this cup was made there was a definite prescribed form of communion cup in England which was in general closely adhered to.