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Stratford Martyrs

Categories: Execution, Religion

The church website has done a very thorough job on the history not just of the memorial but the church and the area so we quote them here on the background to the martyrs: "In 1553 Queen Mary Tudor came to the throne of England. She was a devout Roman Catholic and longed to bring her people back to the church of Rome. This made her unpopular with English noblemen who had acquired wealth and lands when Henry VIII confiscated the Catholic monasteries, and also with Parliament. In 1554 an unsuccessful Protestant insurrection broke out under the leadership of Sir Thomas Wyat. Wyat was defeated and executed. Mary married the Catholic King Philip II of Spain, she restored the Catholic creed, and revived the laws against heresy. For three years rebel bodies dangled from gibbets, and heretics were relentlessly executed, some 300 being burned at the stake. The queen, now known as Bloody Mary, was hated. She died in 1558, in London, and with her died the persecutions."

Garry at St John's also kindly gave us permission to use two of their pictures, this one and Bolton.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Stratford Martyrs

Commemorated ati

Stratford Martyrs

The event on 27 June 1556 was a big draw: "These 11 men and 2 women were brou...

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Other Subjects

John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester

John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester

Born Yorkshire.  Opposed Henry VIII's self-appointment as head of the Church of England.  Result: decapitation on Tower Hill.

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration, Religion

2 memorials
John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford

John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford

Born in Essex.  Caught supporting the wrong side when Edward IV assumed the throne, he was arrested and convicted of high treason which led to the loss of his head at Tower Hill.

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Arpad Weisz

Arpad Weisz

Weisz, Árpád. Footballer. Born in Solt, Hungary. As well as Hungary, he also played for Czechoslovakia and Italy. He was part of the Hungarian squad in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. A serious ...

Person, Execution, Sport / Games, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland

1 memorial
Thomas Cromwell

Thomas Cromwell

Born Putney. Executed on Tower Hill by order of Henry VIII, while Henry married Katherine Howard, wife number 5. Oliver Cromwell is descended from one of Thomas's sisters, whose husband changed hi...

Person, Execution, Politics & Administration

5 memorials
Humphrey Middlemore

Humphrey Middlemore

Monk at London Charterhouse.  Executed at Tyburn.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial