Margaret Clitherow
Margaret Clitherow was not well liked by us…….. and this morning she was executed by ‘pressing’…. Not a good way to go into the afterlife.
But the truth has come out about her and she had been hiding priests in her home ( down there on the right), here in the shambles, as well as another house that she was renting, elsewhere in the city.
Her crimes came to light because she had sent her son to Reims to study, and questions were asked as to why she would do this.
Her home was searched and a frightened lad ( perhaps one of her sons) showed the whereabouts of a priest hole….. the law of the land had finally caught up with her.
Here in the shambles of York, we’re satisfied that justice has been done……
And now there will be more business to go around. We are all butchers, here, ….and now there is one less.
This little episode is meant to provoke thought. … go and look for Margaret Clitherow…. You may be astonished , horrified, intrigued….. but you will learn a little more about how life used to be. being a tour guide, I believe it is my job to encourage people to learn more.