The Canterbury Martyrs were 16th-century English Protestant martyrs. They were executed for heresy in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

and were the last Protestants burnt during the reign of

Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She made vigorous a ...

. Their story is recorded in '' Foxe's Book of Martyrs''.

1555

On 12 July 1555, John Bland (rector of Adesham), John Frankesh (vicar of Rolvindon), Nicholas Sheterden, and Humphrey Middleton were burnt together. According to Foxe, they "resigned themselves with Christian fortitude, fervently praying that God would receive them into his heavenly kingdom''."'' On 23 August, William Coker, William Hopper, Henry Laurence, Richard Collier (or Colliar), Richard Wright, and

William Stere People executed by the Kingdom of England by burning Executed British people People executed under Mary I of England 16th-century Protestant martyrs People executed for heresy Year of birth unknown Protestant martyrs of England William Ste ...

were burnt.Thomas Bryce, "The Regester" in Edward Farr, ed.
''Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth''
1845.
Exclassics.com. Retrieved on 2013-05-19. On 6 September, George Catmer (or Painter) of

Hythe Hythe, from Anglo-Saxon ''hȳð'', may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, either as an element in a toponym, such as Rotherhithe in London, or to: Places Australia * Hythe, Tasmania Canada *Hythe, Alberta, a hamlet in Canada England *The ...

, Kent, Robert Streater (or Streter) of Hythe, Kent, Anthony Burward of Calete (possibly

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...

),Transactions of the Congregational Historical Society, Vol 2, P 366 (1969)
/ref> George Brodbridge (or Bradbridge) of Bromfield, Kent, and James Tutty (or Tuttey) of

Brenchley Brenchley is a village in the civil parish of Brenchley and Matfield, in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. All Saints Church is located in the village, and is a Grade I listed building. History The name is historically derived ...

, Kent were burnt.Foxe's Book of Martyrs - 311. GEORGE CATMER, ROBERT STREATER, .ANTHONY BURWARD, GEORGE BRODBRIDGE, AND JAMES TUTTY; THOMAS HAYWARD AND JOHN GOREWAY
Exclassics.com. Retrieved on 2012-08-16.Image of FOXE: BOOK OF MARTYRS. – The Burning Of George Catmer, Robert Streater, Anthony Burward And George Broadbridge At Canterbury, England, 12 July 1555. Line Engraving, From A Late 18th Century English Edition Of John Foxe's 'The Book Of Martyrs,' First Published In 1563. From The Granger Collection
Granger.com. Retrieved on 2012-08-16.
Machadoink.com (1907-10-16). Retrieved on 2012-08-16. On 30 November, John Webbe (or Web), George Roper, and Gregory Parke (or Paynter) were burnt.
Exclassics.com. Retrieved on 2013-05-19.

1556

On 31 January 1556, John Lomas (or Jhon Lowmas) of

Tenterden Tenterden is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ashford in Kent, England. The 2021 census published the population of the parish to be 8,186. Geography Tenterden is connected to Kent's county town of Maidstone by the A262 road an ...

, Kent, Agnes Snoth (or Annis Snod) of

Smarden Smarden is a civil parish and village, west of Ashford in Kent, South East England. The village has the Anglican parish church of St Michael the Archangel which, because of its high scissor beam roof, is sometimes known as ''"The Barn of Kent" ...

, Kent, Anne Wright (or Albright) alias Champnes, Joan Sole (or Jone Soale) of

Horton Horton may refer to: Places Antarctica * Horton Glacier, Adelaide Island, Antarctica * Horton Ledge, Queen Elizabeth Land, Antarctica Australia * Horton, Queensland, a town and locality in the Bundaberg Region * Horton River (Australia), ...

, Kent and Joan Catmer of Hythe, Kent were burned alive at the stake in

Wincheap Wincheap is a road and suburb in Canterbury, Kent, England. The road forms part of the A28 road, stretching for around from the city wall, close by Canterbury East railway station, to the over-crossing of the A2 and the parish of Thanington. ...

, Canterbury. A monument marks the spot on the road now called 'Martyrs Field Road'.Foxe's Book of Martyrs: 330. John Lomas, Anne Albright, Joan Catmer, Agnes Snoth, and Joan Sole.
Exclassics.com. Retrieved on 2013-05-22.

1557

On 15 January 1557, Stephen Kempe of Norgate/ Northgate, Canterbury, William Waterer of

Biddenden Biddenden is a large, mostly agricultural and wooded village and civil parish in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. The village lies on the Weald of Kent, north of Tenterden. It was a centre for the Wealden iron industry and clothmaking. ...

, Kent, William Prowting of Thornham, Kent, William Lowick of Cranbrooke, Kent, Thomas Hudson of

Selling Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...

, Kent, and William Hay of Hythe, Kent were burnt. On 19 June, John Fishcock/Jhon Fiscoke, Nicholas White, Nicholas Pardue/Perdue, Barbara Final, Bradbridge's Widow (Bradbridge's Wife), probably of

, Kent and probably the widow of Martin Bradbridge who was burnt on 16 January 1557, Mistress Wilson (also referred to as 'Wilson's Wife'), and Alice Benden, possibly also referred to as 'Benson's Wife', of

Staplehurst Staplehurst is a town and civil parish in the borough of Maidstone in Kent, England, south of the town of Maidstone and with a population of 5,947. The town lies on the route of a Roman road, which is now incorporated into the course of the A2 ...

(or possibly Cranbrook), Kent were burnt.

1558

On 15 November 1558, John Corneford of

Wrotham Wrotham ( ) is a village on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, England, at the foot of the North Downs. It is north of Borough Green and approximately east of Sevenoaks. It is between the M20 motorway, M20 and M26 motorway, M26 motorways. History T ...

, Kent, Christopher Brown of

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...

, Kent, John Herst of

Ashford, Kent Ashford is a town in the Borough of Ashford, Ashford district, in the county of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Great Stour at the southern or Escarpment, scarp edge of the North Downs, about by road southeast of centr ...

, Alice Snoth, and Katherine Knight/Tynley were burnt.Foxe's Book of Martyrs - 389. The last martyrs
Exclassics.com. Retrieved on 2013-05-31.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canterbury Martyrs Groups of Christian martyrs of the Early Modern era People executed under Mary I of England 1555 deaths 16th-century Protestant martyrs People executed for heresy People from Canterbury 16th-century English people Year of birth unknown Executed English people People executed by the Kingdom of England by burning Protestant martyrs of England

1555

1556

1557

1558

See also

References