Robert Widmerpool
martyr at Canterbury
Feast: 1 October (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
At Canterbury in England, Saint Gerard Edwards, priest and martyr, who, ordained in France and returned to his own country, after a long imprisonment completed his martyrdom on the gallows during the persecution of Queen Elizabeth I. With him suffered the passion the Blesseds Robert Wilcox and Christopher Buxton, because they were priests, and Robert Widmerpool, for having helped a priest.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
The Roman Martyrology remembers him on 1 October as a martyr who suffered at Canterbury for having helped 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
- Gerard Edwards Saint“At Canterbury in England, Saint Gerard Edwards, priest and martyr, who, ordained in France and returned to his own country, after a long imprisonment completed his martyrdom on the gallows during the persecution of Queen Elizabeth I.” — this site's research
- Christopher Buxton Blessed“With him suffered the passion the Blesseds Robert Wilcox and Christopher Buxton, because they were priests, and Robert Widmerpool, for having helped a priest.” — this site's research
- Robert Wilcox Blessed“He was condemned for being a priest and put to death at Canterbury on 1 October 1588, together with the priests Christopher Buxton and Edward Campion and the layman Robert Widmerpool.” — this site's research
- Roman Martyrology, 1 October (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Wikidata Q131469830 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.