Blessed Francis Dickinson

Francis was born in Otley and christened at Otley Parish Church on 28th October 1564. Nothing is known of his early life, but in 1582, at the age of 17, he entered the English College in Rheims. He was ordained at Soissons on 18th March 1589 and returned to England in November of that year. He was captured along with another priest. Upon refusing to swear allegiance to the Queen Francis was sent to London and committed to Bridewell Prison. During this time he was tortured in an attempt to obtain a self-incriminating confession. The date and place of his trial are unknown, however, he was taken to Rochester and there hanged, drawn and quartered on 13th April 1590. Francis had been a priest for just over one year and, at the age of 25, was one of the youngest Douai martyrs..

Blessed Mathew Flathers

Mathew was born at Weston near Otley in 1560, the youngest of eight children. Little is known about his early life. He was educated at University College, Oxford and eventually entered the English College at Douai in 1604 at the age of 44. He was ordained a priest on 25th March 1606 at Arras. Shortly after he returned to England, he was captured and condemned to death for receiving Catholic orders overseas. The sentence was changed to perpetual banishment, but again he returned to England and made his way to Yorkshire In 1607 he was arrested and imprisoned in York castle. He was tried the following year for high treason. Father Flathers could have saved himself by taking an Oath of Allegiance but he refused and was executed. He died in great agony, hanged, but cut down from the scaffold while still alive, he was then struck on the head, disembowelled and quartered. Mathew Flathers was martyred outside Micklegate Bar, York on Easter Monday, 21st March 1608.