Richard Fetherston
English Roman Catholic priest, martyr
Who they were
Richard Fetherston was chaplain to Queen Catherine of Aragon and tutor to Princess Mary, and one of the theologians who defended the queen's marriage. He was one of the few in Convocation who refused to declare it invalid.
Refusing the Oath of Supremacy, he was sent to the Tower in 1534 and executed at Smithfield on 30 July 1540 with Thomas Abel and Edward Powell.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A queen's chaplain who defended her marriage and the Church.
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
- Edward Powell Blessed“Refusing the Oath of Supremacy, he was sent to the Tower in 1534 and executed at Smithfield on 30 July 1540 with Thomas Abel and Edward Powell.” — this site's research
- Thomas Abel Blessed“Refusing the Oath of Supremacy, he was sent to the Tower in 1534 and executed at Smithfield on 30 July 1540 with Thomas Abel and Edward Powell.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Richard Fetherston
- Wikidata Q7325661 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Richard Fetherston (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.