Leominster is paying homage to a Catholic priest whose determination to keep the faith during the turbulent times of the Reformation led to his cruel fate 400 years ago this month.
The Blessed Roger Cadwallader has never been forgotten in the Catholic community, and a service takes place at 7.30pm in St Ethelbert’s Church in the Bargates at Leominster on August 27 to celebrate his life, which ended in a shocking public execution at the Iron Cross in the centre of the town.
Parish priest Father Frank Slater said the martyred priest’s courage ensured a future for the Catholic Church.
His memory has been preserved in a chapel at St Ethelbert’s dedicated to him.
Born in Stretton Sugwas, Roger Cadwallader was one of two Leominster priests martyred for their faith during those dangerous times.
Next week’s Deanery service will be conducted by the Abbot of Belmont, Paul Stonham, and Father Slater, and anyone is welcome to attend.
Four centuries ago, after his trial Roger Cadwallader was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered, the quarters then distributed as a warning to others in the community.
It’s believed the chapel in the Bargates was built on the site where one of these was placed.
“The service will be a celebration of Roger Cadwallader’s life, for him and people like him,” said Father Slater.
“It was thought by getting rid of the Catholic priests it would mean getting rid of the Catholic church but through people like Roger Cadwallader we still have the Catholic Church here today,” he explained.
“What he did was something for us to be proud of in Leominster.”
His brave stand was matched by fellow priest Nicholas Wheeler, born and bred in Leominster and martyred at Tyburn in 1586.
Roger Cadwallader trained as a priest in Reims in France and later in Spain at the Royal English College in Valladolid, where coincidentally Father Slater was trained.
“He knew once he set foot on English soil he could be arrested straightaway,” he said.
However for 16 years he held Mass in private houses in Herefordshire, but was eventually imprisoned in the Forbury Prison at Leominster, tried and sentenced to death.
Father Slater explained that the priest’s trial and execution was moved to Leominster as Hereford at that time was in the throes of a major epidemic.
Even the professional executioner was unable to reach Leominster, so two masons were employed for the task.
“His death, we believe from eyewitness reports, was terrible and prolonged suffering,” said Father Slater.
“Because the professional executioner was unable to come, they got hold of a couple of unskilled men and he was just butchered.”
He continued: “It was very barbaric in those days and the crowd would applaud the executioner’s work, but in this case the crowd did not applaud but walked off in silence, disgusted at what they had seen.”
Father Slater said next week’s service would be a “positive celebration” of the priest. “While we regret that this happened, Roger Cadwallader is someone for us to be proud of in Leominster,” he said.