George Napper (Napier) (born at

Holywell Holywell may refer to: * Holywell, Flintshire, Wales * Holywell, Swords, Ireland * Holywell, Bedfordshire, England * Holywell, Cambridgeshire, England * Holywell, Cornwall, England * Holywell, Dorset, England * Holywell, Eastbourne, East Susse ...

manor,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, 1550; executed at Oxford 9 November 1610) was an English

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

priest. He is a Catholic martyr,

beatified Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...

in 1929 by Pope Pius XI.

Life

George Napper was a son of Edward Napper (died in 1558), sometime Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, by Anne, his second wife, daughter of John Peto, of

Chesterton, Warwickshire Chesterton is a small village in Warwickshire, England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 123. It is about five miles south of Leamington Spa, near the villages of Harbury and Lighthorne. Parish The parish of Che ...

, and niece of Cardinal William Peto. He entered

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517, it is the 12t ...

, 5 January 1566, but was ejected in 1568 as a

recusant Recusancy (from la, recusare, translation=to refuse) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign ...

. On 24 August 1579 he visited the English College at Reims, and by December 1580 he had been imprisoned. He was still in the Wood Street Counter, London, on 30 September 1588; but was freed in June 1589, on acknowledging the royal supremacy. He entered the

English College, Douai The English College (''College des Grands Anglais'') was a Catholic seminary in Douai, France (also previously spelled Douay, and in English Doway), associated with the University of Douai. It was established in 1568, and was suppressed in 1793. ...

in 1596, and was sent on the English mission in 1603. He appears to have lived with his brother William at Holywell. He was arrested at

Kirtlington Kirtlington is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Bicester. The parish includes the Hamlet (place), hamlet of Northbrook. The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded the parish's populat ...

, four miles from

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...

, very early in the morning of 19 July 1610, when he had on him a

pyx A pyx or pix ( la, pyxis, transliteration of Greek: ''πυξίς'', boxwood receptacle, from ''πύξος'', box tree) is a small round container used in the Catholic, Old Catholic and Anglican Churches to carry the consecrated host (Eucharist) ...

containing two consecrated Hosts as well as a small reliquary. Brought before Sir Francis Eure at Upper Heyford (Wood says before a justice named Chamberlain) he was strictly searched; but the constable found only his breviary, his holy oils, and a needle case with thread and thimble. The next day he was sent to

Oxford Castle Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Most of the original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced in stone in the late 12th or early 13th century and ...

, and indicted at the session soon after under the Jesuits, etc. Act 1584 for being a Catholic priest. The possession of the oils was held to be conclusive and he was condemned, but reprieved. In gaol he reconciled a condemned felon named Falkner, and this was held to aggravate his crime, but as late as 2 November it was believed that he would have his sentence commuted to one of banishment. As he refused the oath of allegiance, he was condemned to death. He was executed between one and two in the afternoon, having said Mass that morning. His head according to Wood was set up on Tom Gateway; according to

Richard Challoner Richard Challoner (29 September 1691 – 12 January 1781) was an English Roman Catholic bishop, a leading figure of English Catholicism during the greater part of the 18th century. The titular Bishop of Doberus, he is perhaps most famous for h ...

's statement on Christ Church

steeple In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religi ...

. His quarters were placed on the four city gates, but at least some were secretly removed, and buried in the chapel (now a barn) of Sandford manor, formerly a

preceptory A preceptor (from Latin, "''praecepto''") is a teacher responsible for upholding a '' precept'', meaning a certain law or tradition. Buddhist monastic orders Senior Buddhist monks can become the preceptors for newly ordained monks. In the Buddh ...

of Knights Templar.

Honours

A plaque in his honour was unveiled at Oxford Castle on 23 October 2010.

Blessed George Napier Roman Catholic School Blessed George Napier Roman Catholic School, known locally as BGN, is a Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form with academy status. It is located on Addison Road in the Easington ward of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. Foundation The ...

Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshir ...

is named after him.

References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Napper, George 1550 births 1610 deaths English beatified people 17th-century venerated Christians 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests 17th-century English Roman Catholic priests People from Oxford One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales

Life

Honours

See also

References