St Margaret Clitherow

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Today (30th August) is the feast of St Margaret Clitherow, 'the Pearl of York,' executed in 1586 for sheltering Catholic priests in her home. She is honoured as one of the Reformation's 'Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.'

She was executed near the Ouse bridge by the gruesome method of being 'pressed to death:'

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She was married to John Clitherow, one of the York Butchers (did his ancestors play in the Corpus Christi 'Death of Christ' play, which was the responsibility of the Butchers?), and had three children with him. Originally a Protestant, Margaret converted to Catholicism three years after her marriage. John, however, remained a Protestant, which must have led to some interesting marital dynamics, especially when Margaret started helping Catholic priests.

Their home was in the Shambles (the home of the York Butchers) and it was here that Margaret hid Catholic priests from the Elizabethan police. What was thought to be her house was turned into a shrine:

Unfortunately the shrine is actually in the wrong house; Margaret's home is really a few doors down and is now a shop selling cufflinks!

However the shrine is still a peaceful place to pop into for a few minutes, away from all the hurry and bustle of the Shambles outside.