Robert Anderton (c. 1560 – 25 April 1586) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

or Manx Catholic priest and martyr under the

Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...

religious persecution Religious persecution is the systematic oppression of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religion, religious beliefs or affiliations or their irreligion, lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within socie ...

. Along with his companion, William Marsden, he was beatified by

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI (; born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, ; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939) was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 until his death in February 1939. He was also the first sovereign of the Vatican City State u ...

in 1929.

Biographies

Robert Anderton was born, according to some sources in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

and according to

William Blundell William Blundell (1946 – 3 July 2023) was an Australian painter and art copyist. He painted copies, which he called innuendos, for Sydney art dealer Germaine Marie François Toussaint Curvers. Blundell painted works with the style of, among ...

on the

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

, around 1560.Stanton SJ, Richard, ''A Menology of England and Wales'', Burns & Oates, Ltd., London, 1892
/ref> He probably attended

Brasenose College Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The library and chapel were added in the m ...

and graduated from

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

in 1578.Wainewright, John Bannerman. "Venerable Robert Anderton", ''Lives of the English Martyrs'', (Edwin H. Burton and J. H. Pollen eds.), London. Longmans, Green and Co., 1914
/ref> While at

Reims Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French Departments of France, department of Marne (department), Marne, and the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 12th most populous city in Fran ...

, Anderton was regarded as an excellent preacher, and a gifted teacher. He was ordained 31 March 1585. William Marsden was also born in Lancashire, and probably attended

St Mary Hall, Oxford St Mary Hall was a medieval academic halls of the University of Oxford, academic hall of the University of Oxford. It was associated with Oriel College, Oxford, Oriel College from 1326 to 1545, but functioned independently from 1545 until it ...

. Anderton and Marsden were friends from early youth and attended Oxford together, although at different colleges. The two travelled to Douai, where they converted to Roman Catholicism. They entered the English College at Reims in 1580. The two were ordained to the priesthood there,Ryan, Patrick W.F. "Ven. Robert Anderton." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 13 March 2013
/ref> and made prefects over the junior school.

Mission, capture, and execution

Upon finishing their studies, Anderton and Marsden set out for England on 4 February 1586. They were caught in a storm while crossing the English Channel and prayed to die on land rather than at sea. Their ship being driven ashore by the storm onto the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

, they were quickly seized by the local authorities. In court, they pleaded that they had not violated the law by landing in England, as their landing was involuntary, being forced ashore by the storm. This led to their being summoned to London, where they were given the opportunity to take the

Oath of Supremacy The Oath of Supremacy required any person taking public or church office in the Kingdom of England, or in its subordinate Kingdom of Ireland, to swear allegiance to the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church. Failure to do so was to be trea ...

, acknowledging

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

as the

Supreme Governor of the Church of England The Supreme Governor of the Church of England is the titular head of the Church of England, a position which is vested in the British monarch.

. Although they acknowledged Elizabeth as their lawful queen in all secular affairs, they would not swear the Oath. As failure to take the oath was considered

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

under the

Second Act of Supremacy The Act of Supremacy 1558 ( 1 Eliz. 1. c. 1), sometimes referred to as the Act of Supremacy 1559, is an act of the Parliament of England, which replaced the original Act of Supremacy 1534 ( 26 Hen. 8. c. 1), and passed under the auspices of E ...

, Anderton and Marsden were found guilty of treason. The sentence was then confirmed, and a proclamation was published, explaining their guilt. They were taken back to the Isle of Wight near the spot where they had landed and executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering on 25 April 1586. The actual spot has not been identified. Some say it is at Mark's Corner on the edge of Parkhurst Forest, others that it could be in Gurnard above the sailing club. Wherever it was, it overlooked Cowes Roads, where they first sought shelter from the storm.

Legacy

They were beatified by

in 1929. There is a stained glass window of Blessed Robert Anderton in St Mary's Catholic Church in Euxton. A memorial plaque was erected in their honor in the garden at St Thomas of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church in

Cowes Cowes () is an England, English port, seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked b ...

References

External links

Pollen SJ, John Hungerford, ''Acts of the English Martyrs'', Chap. IV, Burns & Oates, Ltd., London, 1891
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderton, Robert Year of birth unknown Date of birth unknown 1586 deaths English beatified people Manx saints Manx Christian missionaries Catholic Church in the Isle of Man Converts to Roman Catholicism Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests English College, Reims alumni People executed under the Tudors for treason against England 16th-century Roman Catholic martyrs 16th-century venerated Christians Executed people from Lancashire People executed under Elizabeth I by hanging, drawing and quartering Year of birth uncertain One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales

Biographies

Mission, capture, and execution

Legacy

See also

References

External links