A brief account of our diocesan history
This section was added in October 2004, containing chapters in the history of the Diocese.
At present we cover the period 1500 - 1844. The history has been written by Rev David Milburn
- Under the Earlier Tudors (1500-1558)
- Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
- James 1 (1603-25)
- Charles I (1625-49)
- The Protectorate (1649-1660)
- Charles II (1660-1685)
- James II (1685-88)
- 18th Century (i)
- 18th Century (ii)
- 19th Century
5. The Protectorate 1649-1660
During this era of republicanism Catholics continued to suffer for their beliefs. The new Act of 1652 exacting an oath repudiating essential Catholic doctrines affected influential gentry in particular, threatening them with seizure and sale of their lands if they failed to take the oath, but those less well off could have a percentage of their property compounded and be ordered to quit the country.
In 1655 400 Northumbrian recusants, men and women, refused to take this oath. In 1656 over 30 recusants in the same county had their estates sequestrated, and some of them faced the further charge of delinquency, that is, having fought for the royalist cause. Most belonged to the area between the Cheviots and Rothbury Forest. They included Cuthbert Collingwood of Eslington, Sir Edward Widdrington of Cartington, and Edward Fenwick of Shortflatt near Capheaton.
The sole redeeming feature of this period seems to have been that after 1654 no more priests were executed. Surprisingly enough, Oliver Cromwell himself may well have seen to this, for he showed himself a lot more tolerant towards English Catholics than he did towards the Irish, whom he hated for political, not religious reasons.
Copyright 2004 Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle