John Kemble was one of the oldest of the martyrs,
being 80 when executed. He was from near Hereford, being born into a
Catholic family in 1599. He studied for the priesthood at Douai where he
was ordained priest, and worked as a priest in England and Wales for 54
years. He founded several missions, some of which were still
functioning well into the 19th century. In 1678 he was caught up in the
aftermath of the “gunpowder plot” (this was a fictitious plot invented
by Titus Oates and is now known as the “Popish Plot” to distinguish it
from Guy Fawkes’ plot of 1605). He was cleared of all involvement of
this and was eventually condemned for being a “seminary priest”. Before
his execution he said: “I die only for professing the old Catholic
religion, which was the religion that first made this kingdom Christian”
He was hanged, drawn and when dead quartered at Widemarsh Common on 22
August 1679.
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