I know I've blogged about Thomas Cranmer's execution before, but it seems so much more vital to think about and remember it now that I've visited the exact place that he died. It was so moving and surreal to stand just feet away from a spot that holds such bloody memories of some of the most influential and important men of the Protestant Reformation.
"To the Glory of God and in grateful commemoration of His servants: Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, prelates of the Church of England, who near this spot yielded their bodies to be burned bearing witness to the sacred truths which they had affirmed and maintained against the errors of the Church of Rome, and rejoicing that to them it was given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake."
What an interesting and exciting day for me, though of course it's very thought-provoking and emotional. I sincerely hope that Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer are resting in peace, and that the people of Oxford might spare them all a thought as they walk past these memorials every day.
Sources:
- Lipscomb, Suzannah "A Visitor's Companion to Tudor England" (pages 113-116)