Profile
Married to a widow name Creswell; both his step-sons from that marriage became Jesuits. He held a civil service position, possibly as coroner, until c.1565 when he began to be persecuted for his Catholicism. Imprisoned for a while at Hull. Widower. He travelled to the European continent in 1580, staying in Rheims and then Pont-a-Mousson in France, and then in Rome, Italy where he obtained dispensation to study for the priesthood. After ordination, he returned to England to minister to covert Catholics. Arrested in York Castle on 22 July 1582 for the crime of priesthood. Abused, loaded with chains, imprisoned underground, and repeatedly interrogated before being executed for being a priest. Martyr.
Born
- in Horton, Yorkshire, England
- if you have information relevant to the canonizationBlessed William, contact
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
39 Eccleston Square
London SW1V 1BX, UNITED KINGDOM
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Hagiography Circle
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
MLA Citation