Hugh Cook Faringdon
Encyclopedia
Blessed
Hugh Cook Faringdon, O.S.B., (died 1539), also known as Hugh Faringdon or Hugh Cook, was a Benedictine monk
who ruled as the last Abbot
of Reading Abbey
in the English
town of Reading
. At the dissolution of the monasteries
under King Henry VIII of England
, he was accused of high treason
and executed. He was declared a martyr
and beatified by the Catholic Church
in 1895.
, sometime prior to 1500. The use of this surname suggests that he came from Faringdon
, a town some 30 miles (48.3 km) northwest of Reading. However it is also significant that he subsequently adopted the arms
of the Cook family of Kent
, suggesting he might have had connections there. He is believed to have been educated within the abbey, and later served as the sub-chamberlain
of the community.
Hugh Cook Faringdon was elected Abbot of Reading Abbey in 1520, upon the death of Abbot Thomas Worcester. As well as his spiritual duties, he also took up the civil duties expected at that time of a mitred
abbot, being appointed as Justice of the Peace
and to various governmental Commissions for Berkshire
from 1526 to 1538.
At first his relationship with King Henry
seems to have been supportive. He sat in Parliament
from 1523 to 1539 and, in 1530, he signed, with other members of the House of Lords
, a letter to the Pope
pointing out the evils likely to result from delaying the divorce desired by the King; and, again in 1536, he signed the Articles of Faith
which virtually acknowledged the supremacy of the Crown
over the Church. When the commissioners arrived to take the surrender of Reading Abbey
, they reported favorably of the Abbot's willingness to conform, but the surrender of the Abbey does not survive, and it is not therefore known whether or not Faringdon actually signed it.
In 1539, Faringdon was indicted of high treason, being accused of having assisted the Northern rebels with money. He was tracked down at Bere Court, his manor at Pangbourne
, and taken back to the Tower of London
, where he spent two months. Along with John Rugge, a known associate, and Master John Eynon, the priest of St Giles' Church
in Reading, he was found guilty and hanged, drawn and quartered
before the inner Abbey gatehouse
on 14 November 1539. The monks of Reading, under suspicion of complicity in the Abbot's alleged treason, were not given pensions normally set upon monks and nuns at the dissolution of their monasteries. This changed only under Henry's successor, his daugher, Queen Mary
, a specialist performing arts college in Reading, is named after him.The Blessed Hugh Catholic Church in Faringdon is named after him. The Abbot Cook pub in Reading, a Mitchells and Butlers pub at Cemetery Junction in Reading, is named after him also. His feast day is on 14 November.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Hugh Cook Faringdon, O.S.B., (died 1539), also known as Hugh Faringdon or Hugh Cook, was a Benedictine monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
who ruled as the last Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. At the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
under King Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, he was accused of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
and executed. He was declared a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
and beatified by the Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in 1895.
Life
Born Hugh Cook, he adopted the surname Faringdon when he became a monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, sometime prior to 1500. The use of this surname suggests that he came from Faringdon
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
, a town some 30 miles (48.3 km) northwest of Reading. However it is also significant that he subsequently adopted the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the Cook family of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, suggesting he might have had connections there. He is believed to have been educated within the abbey, and later served as the sub-chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
of the community.
Hugh Cook Faringdon was elected Abbot of Reading Abbey in 1520, upon the death of Abbot Thomas Worcester. As well as his spiritual duties, he also took up the civil duties expected at that time of a mitred
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
abbot, being appointed as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and to various governmental Commissions for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
from 1526 to 1538.
At first his relationship with King Henry
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
seems to have been supportive. He sat in Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
from 1523 to 1539 and, in 1530, he signed, with other members of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, a letter to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
pointing out the evils likely to result from delaying the divorce desired by the King; and, again in 1536, he signed the Articles of Faith
Articles of Faith
Articles of faith are sets of beliefs usually found in creeds, sometimes numbered, and often beginning with "We believe...", which attempt to more or less define the fundamental theology of a given religion, and especially in the Christian Church....
which virtually acknowledged the supremacy of the Crown
Acts of Supremacy
The first Act of Supremacy was a piece of legislation that granted King Henry VIII of England Royal Supremacy, which means that he was declared the supreme head of the Church of England. It is still the legal authority of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
over the Church. When the commissioners arrived to take the surrender of Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
, they reported favorably of the Abbot's willingness to conform, but the surrender of the Abbey does not survive, and it is not therefore known whether or not Faringdon actually signed it.
In 1539, Faringdon was indicted of high treason, being accused of having assisted the Northern rebels with money. He was tracked down at Bere Court, his manor at Pangbourne
Pangbourne
Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. Pangbourne is the home of the independent school, Pangbourne College.-Location:...
, and taken back to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, where he spent two months. Along with John Rugge, a known associate, and Master John Eynon, the priest of St Giles' Church
St Giles' Church, Reading
St Giles' Church is a parish church in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire.St Giles' was one of the three original parish churches, along with St Mary's and St Laurence's, serving the medieval borough of Reading...
in Reading, he was found guilty and hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
before the inner Abbey gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
on 14 November 1539. The monks of Reading, under suspicion of complicity in the Abbot's alleged treason, were not given pensions normally set upon monks and nuns at the dissolution of their monasteries. This changed only under Henry's successor, his daugher, Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
Legacy
The Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic SchoolBlessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School
Blessed Hugh Faringdon is a Catholic secondary school in Reading in Berkshire, England. The school has roughly 806 pupils and nearly 100 teaching staff. The school has International school status, awarded by the British Council.The school specialises in Art...
, a specialist performing arts college in Reading, is named after him.The Blessed Hugh Catholic Church in Faringdon is named after him. The Abbot Cook pub in Reading, a Mitchells and Butlers pub at Cemetery Junction in Reading, is named after him also. His feast day is on 14 November.