Amersham Martyrs Memorial from Field Path

Image: © Sean Davis Taken: 13 Mar 2011

The Martyrs Memorial was erected in 1931 and sits in a corner of the field in an enclosure. The Martyrs were Lollards and consisted of six men and a woman (William Tylsworth, John Scrivener, Thomas Barnard, James Morden, Robert Rave, Thomas Holmes and Joan Norman). William Tylsworth was the leader of the Lollards in Amersham and was burnt in 1506, his married daughter Joan was forced at sword point to light the fire. They other six were burnt at the stake in 1521. John Scrivener's children were forced to light his fire. They were burnt for their religious beliefs. At the time the town was considered a hotbed of heresy and the local Bishop carefully choose the spot so the glow of the flames could easily be seen from the town below. The memorial is inscribed: "In the shallow of depression at a spot 100 yards left of this monument seven Protestants, six men and one woman were burnt to death at the stake. They died for the principles of religious liberty, for the right to read and interpret the Holy Scriptures and to worship God according to their consciences as revealed through God's Holy Word"

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