Douai Martyrs

Feastday: October 29

More than 160 priests trained in the English College of Douai, France, returned to England and Wales and faced arrest, torture, and execution by English authorities. A large group - more than eighty- were beatified in 1929, and English dioceses celebrate the feasts of these martyrs.

The Douai Martyrs is a name applied by the Catholic Church to 158 Catholic priests trained in the English College at Douai, France, who were executed by the English state between 1577 and 1680.

History

Having completed their training at Douai, many returned to England and Wales with the intent to minister to the Catholic population. Under the Jesuits, etc. Act 1584 the presence of a priest within the realm was considered high treason. Missionaries from Douai were looked upon as a papal agents intent on overthrowing the queen. Many were arrested under charges of treason and conspiracy, resulting in torture and execution. In total, 158 members of Douai College were martyred between the years 1577 and 1680. The first was Cuthbert Mayne, executed at Launceston, Cornwall. The last was Thomas Thwing, hanged, drawn, and quartered at York in October 1680. Each time the news of another execution reached the College, a solemn Mass of thanksgiving was sung.

Many people risked their lives during this period by assisting them, which was also prohibited under the Act. A number of the "seminary priests" from Douai were executed at a three-sided gallows at Tyburn near the present-day Marble Arch. A plaque to the "Catholic martyrs" executed at Tyburn in the period 1535 - 1681 is located at 8 Hyde Park Place, the site of Tyburn convent.

Eighty were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929. Today, British Catholic dioceses celebrate their feast day on 29 October.

Bl Alexander Crow Bl Anthony Middleton Bl Antony Page Bl Christopher Bales Bl Christopher Buxton Bl Christopher Robinson Bl Christopher Wharton Bl Edmund Catherick Bl Edmund Duke Bl Edmund Sykes Bl Edward Bamber Bl Edward Burden Bl Edward James Bl Edward Jones Bl Edward Osbaldeston Bl Edward Stransham Bl Edward Thwing Bl Edward Waterson Bl Everald Hanse Bl Francis Ingleby Bl Francis Page Bl George Beesley Bl George Gervase Bl George Haydock Bl George Napper Bl George Nichols Bl Henry Heath Bl Hugh Green Bl Hugh More Bl Hugh Taylor Bl James Claxton Bl James Fenn Bl James Thompson Bl John Adams Bl John Amias Bl John Bodey Bl John Cornelius Bl John Duckett Bl John Hambley Bl John Hogg

Bl John Ingram Bl John Lockwood Bl John Lowe Bl John Munden Bl John Nelson Bl John Nutter Bl John Pibush Bl John Robinson Bl John Sandys Bl John Shert Bl John Slade Bl John Sugar Bl John Thules Bl Joseph Lambton Bl Lawrence Richardson Bl Mark Barkworth Bl Matthew Flathers Bl Montfort Scott Bl Nicholas Garlick Bl Nicholas Postgate Bl Nicholas Woodfen Bl Peter Snow Bl Ralph Crockett Bl Richard Hill Bl Richard Holiday Bl Richard Kirkman Bl Richard Newport Bl Richard Sergeant Bl Richard Simpson Bl Richard Thirkeld Bl Richard Yaxley Bl Robert Anderton Bl Robert Dalby Bl Robert Dibdale Bl Robert Drury Bl Robert Johnson Bl Robert Ludlam Bl Robert Nutter Bl Robert Sutton Bl Robert Thorpe Bl Robert Wilcox

Bl Roger Cadwallador Bl Roger Filcock Bl Stephen Rowsham Bl Thomas Alfield Bl Thomas Atkinson Bl Thomas Belson Bl Thomas Cottam Bl Thomas Maxfield Bl Thomas Palaser Bl Thomas Pilchard Bl Thomas Pormort Bl Thomas Reynolds Bl Thomas Sherwood Bl Thomas Somers Bl Thomas Sprott Bl Thomas Thwing Bl Thomas Tunstal Bl Thurstan Hunt Bl William Andleby Bl William Davies Bl William Filby Bl William Harrington Bl William Hart Bl William Hartley Bl William Lacey Bl William Marsden Bl William Patenson Bl William Southerne Bl William Spenser Bl William Thomson Bl William Ward Bl William Way St Alban Bartholomew Roe St Alexander Briant St Ambrose Edward Barlow St Cuthbert Mayne St Edmund Arrowsmith St Edmund Campion

St Edmund Gennings St Eustace White St Henry Morse St Henry Walpole St John Almond St John Boste St John Kemble St John Payne St John Southworth St John Wall St Luke Kirby St Ralph Sherwin St Robert Southwell Ven Edward Morgan Ven Thomas Tichborne Bl Alexander Rawlins Bl Edward Campion Francis Dickinson James Bird James Harrison John Finglow John Goodman John Hewitt Matthias Harrison Miles Gerard St Polydore Plasden Richard Horner Robert Leigh Robert Morton Robert Watkinson Roger Dickinson Thomas Felton Thomas Ford Thomas Hemerford Thomas Holford William Dean William Freeman William Gunter Bl William Richardson

The Douay Martyrs School in Ickenham, Middlesex is named in their honour.