The Abbot Who Defied Henry VIII

The Martyrdom of Hugh Faringdon On this day in Tudor history, 14 November 1539, a man of God was executed at the gate of his own abbey. His name was Hugh Faringdon, Abbot of Reading, a scholar, royal chaplain, and faithful servant of the Church, condemned as a traitor and hanged like a criminal. Join me as I tell the powerful and tragic story of Abbot Hugh Faringdon, who tried to balance loyalty to King Henry VIII with faith in the old Church, and paid with his life. Discover:

• The rise of Hugh Faringdon from monk to abbot of one of England’s greatest monasteries
• How he served Henry VIII faithfully before the Dissolution of the Monasteries
• Why refusing to surrender Reading Abbey made him a target of Thomas Cromwell’s regime
• The brutal execution that shocked Tudor England
• And how, centuries later, he was beatified as Blessed Hugh Faringdon, a martyr of conscience.

Today, the ruins of Reading Abbey still stand as a silent witness to his courage and conviction. #HughFaringdon #HenryVIII #DissolutionOfTheMonasteries #TudorHistory #ReadingAbbey #TudorMartyrs #OnThisDay #EnglishReformation #TudorFaith #TheAnneBoleynFiles #ClaireRidgway #CatholicHistory #TudorEngland