Margaret Clitherow’s story has, even in this simple outline, all the triumphant elements of great tragedy. Among the martyrs of her century she has points of resemblance and also of contrast with St Thomas More. Both were foremost, family martyrs, devoted to their partners in marriage and to their children, who gave the love of God primacy over intense family attachments. There is a similarity in their inner conflict of loyalties, and both possessed a like shrewdness in worldly affairs. Thomas More was one of the leading humanists of his day. Margaret Clitherow, more simply reared, valued learning and taught herself to read and write. Their approach to death is identical. Margaret’s recorded utterances at her trial equal More’s in nobility of phrase. There is the same exterior calmness and depth of interior feeling in the behaviour of both.

This booklet offers an introduction to Margaret Clitherow, the remarkable Saint of York, and contains photographs of places from within the City of York associated with her.

Philip Caraman SJ was a distinguished historian, and the author of many books and articles. He died in 1998.