Nicholas Horner
Beatified English martyr
Who they were
Nicholas Horner, a Yorkshire tailor in London, was imprisoned for sheltering priests; in his damp cell his leg became infected and had to be amputated, and during the operation he was comforted by a vision.
Released and caught again, he was condemned for having helped the priest Christopher Bales, by making him a jacket. The night before his death he saw a crown of glory above his head. He was executed at Smithfield on 4 March 1590.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A tailor who died for helping a priest.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
Connected on this site
- Alexander Blake Blessed“Alexander Blake was a layman who was put to death in Gray's Inn Lane, London, on 4 March 1590, under Elizabeth I, on the same day as Christopher Bayles and Nicholas Horner.” — this site's research
- Christopher Bales Blessed“Nicholas Horner (died 3 March 1590) was an English Roman Catholic layman, hanged, drawn and quartered because he had "relieved and assisted" Christopher Bales, a seminary priest.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Nicholas Horner
- Wikidata Q7025556 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Nicholas Horner (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.