Thomas Marshall
Abbot of Colchester Abbey
Feast: 1 December (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Thomas Marshall, known as John Beche, a doctor of divinity of Oxford, was Abbot of St Werburgh's, Chester, and from 1530 of St John's, Colchester. He took the Oath of Supremacy in 1534, but the martyrdoms of the Carthusians, St John Fisher and St Thomas More moved him deeply.
He spoke openly in their praise and denied the king's right to seize his abbey. After wavering under pressure, he stood firm at last and was executed at Colchester on 1 December 1539.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
An abbot moved by the martyrs to become one.
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
- John Fisher Saint“He took the Oath of Supremacy in 1534, but the martyrdoms of the Carthusians, St John Fisher and St Thomas More moved him deeply.” — this site's research
- Thomas More Saint“He took the Oath of Supremacy in 1534, but the martyrdoms of the Carthusians, St John Fisher and St Thomas More moved him deeply.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Blessed John Beche
- Wikidata Q7792185 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Thomas Marshall (abbot of Colchester) (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.