Saint John Houghton
Saint John Houghton (born c. 1487 AD in Essex, England; died May 4, 1535 AD in Tyburn, London, England) was the Prior of the London Charterhouse (Carthusian monastery) and the first of the English Martyrs to be executed under Henry VIII for refusing the Oath of Supremacy. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn on May 4, 1535 — the first of a group of three Carthusian priors executed that day. His arm was subsequently nailed to the gate of the London Charterhouse as a warning. He was canonized in 1970. His feast day is May 4 (or October 25 with the other English Martyrs in England).
Stored in Cargo: Saint John Houghton
| Saint John Houghton | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 4 (or October 25 with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales) |
| Profession | Carthusian monk; prior; martyr |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Carthusian Order; Prior of the London Charterhouse 1531–1535; first English Martyr executed under Henry VIII |
| Patronage | Carthusian Order; England; the London Charterhouse; those resisting unjust authority; martyrs of the Reformation; Tyburn |
| Attributes | Carthusian habit; rope (hanging); executioner's knife or axe; Charterhouse gate; severed arm |
| Birthplace | Essex, England (exact location uncertain) |
| Death Place | Tyburn, London, England |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn on May 4, 1535, for refusing the Oath of Supremacy; one of the first martyrs of the English Reformation |
| Primary Shrine | Tyburn Convent (Adorers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Montmartre), Tyburn, London — chapel at the site of the Tyburn gallows; relics of various English martyrs; pilgrimage site; also the London Charterhouse (Sutton's Hospital), Charterhouse Square, London |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast May 4; observed in England within the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales; also feast October 25 |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed in England |
Biography
John Houghton was born around 1487 in Essex and studied law before entering the Carthusians. He was ordained a priest around 1514 and became a Carthusian monk. He served in the London Charterhouse (the only Carthusian monastery in London) and was elected Prior in 1531.
When Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy (1534) required clergy to swear that the king was Supreme Head of the Church of England, Houghton initially sought a modified form of oath that might satisfy the law without violating his conscience. He was arrested and imprisoned briefly, then released. He was arrested again in 1535 when it became clear he would not swear without qualification.
He was tried for treason, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered — the most brutal form of public execution. On May 4, 1535, he was dragged on a hurdle to Tyburn with the Priors Robert Lawrence and Augustine Webster. All three went cheerfully, singing psalms. Houghton preached briefly at the gallows, affirming his loyalty to the king in temporal matters but his inability to acknowledge him as head of the Church. He was executed before a large crowd.
Saint Thomas More, watching from the Tower, saw the Carthusians pass and called them bridegrooms going to their marriage.
Pope Paul VI canonized John Houghton as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales on October 25, 1970.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Essex, England (exact location uncertain)
Death location: Tyburn, London, England
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Tyburn Convent, London — chapel at the site of the gallows; relics of English martyrs.
- London Charterhouse, Charterhouse Square, London — the site of his priorate.
Feast day
May 4; October 25 (with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales)
Veneration
Saint John Houghton is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, canonized on October 25, 1970. He was the first English martyr executed under Henry VIII.
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