William Filby
English Roman Catholic priest and martyr
Who they were
William Filby was born in Oxfordshire and studied at Lincoln College, Oxford. He entered the seminary at Reims in 1579, was ordained priest there on 25 March 1581, and soon left for England.
Arrested in July 1581, he was held in the Tower and the Marshalsea, and after his sentence on 17 November he was kept in manacles and for two months without bedding. He was put to death at Tyburn on 30 May 1582 with Thomas Cottam, Luke Kirby and Laurence Richardson.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A young Oxford-educated priest put to death at Tyburn in 1582.
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
- Luke Kirby Saint“He was put to death at Tyburn on 30 May 1582 with Thomas Cottam, Luke Kirby and Laurence Richardson.” — this site's research
- Lawrence Richardson Blessed“Lawrence Richardson was a priest who was put to death on 30 May 1582, under Elizabeth I, on the same day as William Filby, Luke Kirby and Thomas Cottom.” — this site's research
- Thomas Cottam Blessed“He was put to death at Tyburn on 30 May 1582 with Thomas Cottam, Luke Kirby and Laurence Richardson.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Blessed William Filby
- Wikidata Q8009028 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — William Filby (Roman Catholic priest) (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.