Oxford’s 3 Martyrs

Oxford is known to those of us across the pond as a place of learning, beauty, and Harry Potter sites. It’s also a place filled with history and tragedy. At the end of our tour in Oxford, our guide from Experience Oxfordshire brought us to a stone cross in the street. The place on the road marks a dark time in England’s vast history. At the location, 3 Protestant bishops were burned at the stake.

In the 1500s, the soul of England was being ripped apart. Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church to receive an annulment from his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, who was his first wife.  Henry formed the Church of England, which made the monarchy head of the church. After Henry’s death, his daughter Mary I desired for England to return to Catholicism. Her return to Catholicism at all costs gave her the nickname “Bloody Mary.”

Protestants throughout the country defied Mary’s orders. Among them, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer stood up for what they believed was the truth. The three bishops were giants in the English Reformation during their day. Cranmer was probably the most famous of the three for his Book of Common Prayer, which helped shape the way the Church of England conducted worship.

Queen Mary sat on the throne in 1553 and set her sights on church leaders. Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer stood at the top of her list. Latimer and Ridley were taken to the location on the cobblestone street in Oxford. Latimer, who was much older than Ridley, tried to comfort the young bishop by saying, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”

The story of the first two bishops is a sad and excruciating tale of being put to death in such a violent way. Ridley was given gunpowder to tie around his neck that was supposed to go off, but never did. His brother-in-law added kindling to the fire, hoping it would consume him quicker, but it didn’t happen. Ridley’s death finally happened after the young bishop placed his face into the fire ending his ordeal. Latimer, however, was consumed by the smoke quickly and died a much faster death.

Cranmer’s march to death took a little longer. Cranmer was afraid of being burned at the stake and recanted his beliefs, signing documents to return to the Catholic faith. In March 1556, he was taken to the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin to make a public statement. In another shocking twist in Cranmer’s life, he repented of his denial of the Protestant religion. After his statement, he was taken to the exact location where the other two bishops had been executed. As the surrounding flames rose, Cranmer stuck his fist into the fire and said, “This unworthy hand!” referencing the instrument that signed the petition to denounce his faith.

Visitors to Oxford walk along Broad Street, shopping and eating their way through town. For those who stop in front of Balliol College, an appreciation for how far we have come as a society takes place. We often talk about the turbulent time we live in , but things have been worse. It’s important to learn about the past so we don’t relive it. The cross on the street tells us within humanity is a dark obsession to make everyone carbon copies of us.

The story of Oxford’s three martyrs isn’t just an interesting historical story, but an example of resisting oppression. As I stood at the spot where three men lost their lives, I thought about how people to this day are losing their lives for beliefs, or having their voices drowned out by oppressive leaders. The three bishops’ deaths didn’t silence their followers, but fanned the flames of a movement. Latimer was right in his statement; the light was never put out. I hope we can all shine a light on injustice.

* I want to add here that Protestants during the Reformation under Queen Elizabeth were not any better than during Queen Mary’s reign. Catholics were oppressed and executed for treason for not conforming to the Church of England.

I was assisted by Visit Southeast England and Experience Oxfordshire for this story.

Here are more English travel stories: 
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Alice’s Oxford Door: Where History and Imagination Collide
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