Thomas Pilchard

For the Army officer, see Thomas Pilcher.

Thomas Pilchard (Pilcher) (born at Battle, Sussex, 1557; executed at Dorchester, 21 March 1587) was an English Roman Catholic priest. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1987.

Life

He became a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, in 1576, and took the degree of M.A., in 1579, resigning his fellowship the following year. He arrived at Reims 20 November 1581, and was ordained priest at Laon, March, 1583.

Sent on the English mission, he was arrested soon after, and banished. He returned almost immediately, but was again arrested early in March, 1587, and imprisoned in Dorchester Gaol. Numerous conversions are attributed to him.

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