Missa Cantata. In Honour Of The Holy Abbot, Richard Whiting, Monk Hugh Faringdon, Monk John Beche. It Couldn't Happen These Days. Could It ?

Blessed Richard Whiting.

Stained-Glass Window in The Sacred Heart Chapel,

Minehead, Somerset TA24 5RG.

Illustrations: A CHAPLAIN ABROAD

On 19 September 1539, Richard Layton, Thomas Moyle, and Richard Pollard, arrived at Glastonbury Abbey without warning. They were not convinced about Whiting’s answers and he was sent to The Tower of London. They discovered a book condemning King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon. They 

also discovered evidence that Whiting hid a number of precious objects from Cromwell's agents. 

The Commissioners wrote to Thomas Cromwell 

claiming that they had now come to the knowledge of “divers” (many) and sundry treasons committed by

The Abbot of Glastonbury. 

Whiting was sent back to Somerset in the care 

of Richard Pollard and reached Wells on 14 November. “Here, some sort of trial apparently took place and, next day, Saturday, 15 November 1539, he was taken to Glastonbury with two of his Monks, Dom John Thorne and Dom Roger James, where all three were fastened upon hurdles and dragged by horses to the top of

Tor Hill, which overlooks the Town. Here they were hanged, drawn and quartered. 

Abbot Whiting’s head being fastened over the gate of the now deserted Abbey and his limbs exposed at Wells, Bath, Ilchester and Bridgewater”. 

Come to The Mass in their honour and to beg 

for their Prayers on Saturday, 7 December 2019, 1100 hrs, in the Shrine of Our Lady, sung by The Community of

Our Lady of Glastonbury.