John Ramridge

John Ramridge (or John Ramrydge) had an eventful life. He was rector right at the start of Elizabeth I’s reign, just as the church was switching from catholic to protestant (again), and seems to have been quickly thrown out.

The Correspondence of Reginald Pole has a long but cryptic account of John’s life. That points out that John was rector of Milton Bryan and Eversholt at the same time, and Longford, Derby, too. He’d been Prebendary, Canon, Perpetual Vicar, Dean, Archdeacon and rector before coming to Eversholt. Eversholt was the last living to which he was appointed as rector.

Deans Deprived Under Queen Elizabeth says

On April 8, 1561, he said Mass in Sir Edward Waldegrave’s house in Essex. For this he was committed to the Tower on April 20 or 22. He was indicted at Brentwood, Essex, June 3, 1561, and was condemned, but shortly afterwards, having been released on bail, he escaped and settled at Louvain. He was murdered by robbers at Heveren, Flanders, May 21, 1568, and buried at Mechlin.

Reginald Pole says that he was murdered while carrying some money that was part of a bequest. Fires of Faith: Catholic England under Mary Tudor says that he was murdered while distributing alms in the street. Everyone agrees he was a “zealous papist”.

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