John of Bridlington
Encyclopedia
Saint John of Bridlington (John Thwing, John of Thwing, John Twenge, John Thwing of Bridlington) (1319–1379) is an English
saint of the 14th century. Born John Twenge in 1319 in the village of Thwing
on the Yorkshire Wolds
, about nine miles west of Bridlington
, he was of the Yorkshire
family Twenge, which during the English Reformation
supplied two Roman Catholic priest-martyr
s and was also instrumental in establishing the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Bar Convent
, York.
John completed his studies at Oxford and then entered the Canon Regular community of Priory of Bridlington
. Charged successively with various offices in the community, he was finally despite his reluctance elected prior
, which office he held until his death.
in danger of shipwreck
called upon God
in the name of His servant, John of Bridlington, whereupon the prior himself appeared to them in his canonical habit and brought them safely to shore.
charged his suffragans and others to take evidence with a view to his canonization
, 26 July 1386; and the same prelate assisted by the Bishops of Durham
and Carlisle Cathedral
s officiated at a solemn translation of his body, 11 March 1404, de mandato Domini Papae.
This pope, Boniface IX, shortly afterwards canonized him. The fact has been doubted and disputed; but the original Bull was unearthed in the Vatican
archives by Mr. T.A. Twemlow, who was engaged in research work there for the British Government.
At the English Reformation
Henry VIII
was asked to spare the magnificent shrine of the saint, but in vain; it was destroyed in 1537. The splendid nave of the church, restored in 1857, is all that now remains of Bridlington Priory. The saint's feast is observed by the canons regular on 9 October.
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He was the last English saint to be canonised before the English Reformation
. King Henry V attributed his victory at Agincourt
to the intercession in heaven of this Saint John and of Saint John of Beverley.
Women in difficult labour pray to St John of Bridlington for intercession, and he is also associated with the local fishing industry.
At All Saints Church Thwing
, there is a window showing St John of Bridlington and St Cecilia.
There is a St John Street in Bridlington named after him, an old thoroughfare linking the "Old Town" that grew up around Bridlington Priory with the quayside community of fishermen and traders.
At the church of St Andrew, Hempstead
, a wooden panel showing John of Bridlington depicts him holding a fish, and in episcopal robes, though he never served as bishop.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
saint of the 14th century. Born John Twenge in 1319 in the village of Thwing
Thwing
Thwing is a small village in the Yorkshire Wolds, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately from the east coast, just north of the B1253 road. The nearest neighbouring towns are Driffield to the south, Bridlington to the east, Filey to the north east and...
on the Yorkshire Wolds
Yorkshire Wolds
The Yorkshire Wolds are low hills in the counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire in northeastern England. The name also applies to the district in which the hills lie....
, about nine miles west of Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
, he was of the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
family Twenge, which during the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
supplied two Roman Catholic priest-martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s and was also instrumental in establishing the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Bar Convent
Bar Convent
The Convent of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin at Micklegate Bar, York, better known as Bar Convent, is the oldest surviving Roman Catholic convent in England, established in 1686. The laws of England at this time prohibited the foundation of Catholic convents and as a result of this, the...
, York.
John completed his studies at Oxford and then entered the Canon Regular community of Priory of Bridlington
Bridlington Priory
Priory Church of St. Mary, Bridlington, , commonly known as Bridlington Priory Church is a parish church in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in the Diocese of York...
. Charged successively with various offices in the community, he was finally despite his reluctance elected prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
, which office he held until his death.
Miracles attributed to him
Even in his lifetime he enjoyed a reputation for great holiness and for miraculous powers. On one occasion he changed water into wine. On another, five seamen from HartlepoolHartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
in danger of shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
called upon God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
in the name of His servant, John of Bridlington, whereupon the prior himself appeared to them in his canonical habit and brought them safely to shore.
Death and canonization
After his death from natural causes the fame of the miracles wrought by his intercession spread rapidly through the land. Archbishop NevilleNeville
Neville is a name that originates from place names in Normandy, from the Old French Néville "Néel's estate" or Neuville, meaning "new village" or "new town".Neville may refer to:-Places:*Néville, Haute-Normandie, France...
charged his suffragans and others to take evidence with a view to his canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
, 26 July 1386; and the same prelate assisted by the Bishops of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
and Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
s officiated at a solemn translation of his body, 11 March 1404, de mandato Domini Papae.
This pope, Boniface IX, shortly afterwards canonized him. The fact has been doubted and disputed; but the original Bull was unearthed in the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
archives by Mr. T.A. Twemlow, who was engaged in research work there for the British Government.
At the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
was asked to spare the magnificent shrine of the saint, but in vain; it was destroyed in 1537. The splendid nave of the church, restored in 1857, is all that now remains of Bridlington Priory. The saint's feast is observed by the canons regular on 9 October.
Veneration
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
. King Henry V attributed his victory at Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
to the intercession in heaven of this Saint John and of Saint John of Beverley.
Women in difficult labour pray to St John of Bridlington for intercession, and he is also associated with the local fishing industry.
At All Saints Church Thwing
Thwing
Thwing is a small village in the Yorkshire Wolds, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately from the east coast, just north of the B1253 road. The nearest neighbouring towns are Driffield to the south, Bridlington to the east, Filey to the north east and...
, there is a window showing St John of Bridlington and St Cecilia.
There is a St John Street in Bridlington named after him, an old thoroughfare linking the "Old Town" that grew up around Bridlington Priory with the quayside community of fishermen and traders.
At the church of St Andrew, Hempstead
Hempstead, Kent
Hempstead is a settlement near Gillingham, Kent, part of the urban area of the Medway Towns.-Location and geography:It is located on the southern edge of the borough of Medway adjacent to Wigmore and Lordswood and linked to Gillingham and the M2 by the A278 trunk road.Most of Hempstead is in a...
, a wooden panel showing John of Bridlington depicts him holding a fish, and in episcopal robes, though he never served as bishop.