Richard Yaxley
English Roman Catholic martyr
Feast: 5 July (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Richard Yaxley was a priest who was put to death at Oxford on 5 July 1589, under Elizabeth I, together with George Nichols, Thomas Belson and Humphrey Pritchard.
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 under Elizabeth I.
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
- George Nichols Blessed“Arrested at the Catherine Wheel inn in Oxford with Richard Yaxley and two laymen, he was executed at Oxford on 19 October 1589.” — this site's research
- Humphrey Pritchard Blessed“Richard Yaxley was a priest who was put to death at Oxford on 5 July 1589, under Elizabeth I, together with George Nichols, Thomas Belson and Humphrey Pritchard.” — this site's research
- Thomas Belson Blessed“Richard Yaxley was a priest who was put to death at Oxford on 5 July 1589, under Elizabeth I, together with George Nichols, Thomas Belson and Humphrey Pritchard.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - English Confessors and Martyrs (1534-1729)
- Roman Martyrology, 5 July (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Wikidata Q21547554 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.