History of the Martyrs
The memorial stone in Enborne Road | What happened in Newbury in 1556In 1556 three local people; Julins Palmer, John Gwyn, and Thomas Robyns, were tried for Sedition and Religious Heresy in St Nicolas Church in Newbury by Dr Jeffrey, Sir Richard Abridges, Sir William Rainsford, and John Winchcombe Snr. They were found guilty of not obeying the religious laws enacted by Queen Mary Tudor that required all her subjects to take the Catholic mass. They were immediately taken to the old sandpits in Enborne Road, Newbury and burned at the stake | Timeline for religion through the ages Timelines for Newbury and the Martyrs' trial |
| Julins Palmer: The Martyr we know most about. What would be the impact today of a local teacher being tried and burned at the stake? | The Winchcombes: How did the most influential family in Newbury deal with the issues? How did they stay true to the Queen and to their neighbours | Other local Martyrs: Christopher Shoemaker, etc. |
The Reign of Mary Tudor
| John Winchombe's vision: From the script: "I look to the future, a country proud of its people, confident in itself, where all men's views are counted as of value, where the very lives of its people count for more than the views they hold, where never shall men do vile things one to the other in the name of He that is love and compassion. ". Copyright Christine West Enact your own issues of conflct and resolution. To what extent do we have freedom to follow a faith today? Has Winchcombe's vision come true? | Are you following The Tudors series on the BBC? Would you like to know more about your local history? Did you know that there are over 30 local history societies in Berkshire |
| Find the sites on a map | Join in the debates online |
Woodcut from Foxes Book of Martyrs
