Richard Thirkeld
English Catholic martyr
Feast: 29 May (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Richard Thirkeld of County Durham, from Queen's College, Oxford, was ordained at Reims in 1579 and ministered around York, where he was confessor to St Margaret Clitherow.
Arrested in 1583 while visiting Catholic prisoners, he at once confessed his priesthood and appeared at trial in cassock and biretta. Condemned for reconciling people to the Church, he spent his last night instructing his fellow prisoners and was executed at York on 29 May 1583.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
St Margaret Clitherow's confessor, who strengthened others to the end.
Connected on this site
- Margaret Clitherow Saint“Richard Thirkeld of County Durham, from Queen's College, Oxford, was ordained at Reims in 1579 and ministered around York, where he was confessor to St Margaret Clitherow.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Richard Thirkeld
- Wikidata Q7329438 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Richard Thirkeld (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.