John Fenwick
English Jesuit and Catholic martyr
Feast: 20 June (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
John Fenwick was a Jesuit who was put to death at Tyburn on 20 June 1679, at the time of the Oates Plot, together with his fellow Jesuits Thomas Whitbread, William Harcourt, John Gavin and Anthony Turner.
In 1913 the Catholic Encyclopedia counted him among the English martyrs whose cause had been admitted at Rome, who were then styled Venerable.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
One of the English martyrs who died for the Catholic faith at the time of the Oates Plot.
The cause
John Fenwick has been beatified; the cause continues. Favours received, and offers of help, go to the postulation, the office that carries the cause forward: Jesuits: the cause of John Fenwick.
Connected on this site
- Anthony Turner Blessed“Anthony Turner was a Jesuit who was put to death at Tyburn on 20 June 1679, at the time of the Oates Plot, together with his fellow Jesuits Thomas Whitbread, William Harcourt, John Fenwick and John Gavin.” — this site's research
- John Gavan Blessed“At London, Blessed martyrs Thomas Whitbread and his companions William Harcourt, John Fenwick, John Gavan and Anthony Turner, priests of the Society of Jesus, who, under the false accusation of having plotted the death of King Charles II, suffered martyrdom at Tyburn for the kingdom of heaven.” — this site's research
- Thomas Whitbread Blessed“John Fenwick was a Jesuit who was put to death at Tyburn on 20 June 1679, at the time of the Oates Plot, together with his fellow Jesuits Thomas Whitbread, William Harcourt, John Gavin and Anthony Turner.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - English Confessors and Martyrs (1534-1729)
- Roman Martyrology, 20 June (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Wikidata Q6232951 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — John Fenwick (Jesuit) (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.