[MR] Almost-saint John Schorne

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends,

One of the more interesting religious figures from England was John 
Schorne, rector of North Marston, who nearly became a saint.

When Schorne was born is uncertain, but records show someone of that 
name at Oxford during the proper time frame. He was rector of a church 
in North Marston from about 1290 until he died in 1313.

Many miracles were attributed to John Schorne, including bringing forth 
a holy well with healing properties and various exorcisms. In popular 
legend, he was said to have captured the Devil himself in a boot, but 
the Evil One managed to escape through a lace hole. Pilgrim badges 
showing Schorne with the boot still exist, and replicas are available 
today. Following his death, John Schorne's tomb in the North Marston 
church and the nearby holy well became popular pilgrimage sites.

During the Wars of the Roses, King Henry VI was murdered in 1471, 
probably on the orders of Edward IV. A devotional cult to the "martyred' 
king began to develop with the encouragement of Henry Tudor, who used 
the late king as propaganda to destabilize Edward's popularity. To 
counter the growing royal cult, Edward and the Bishop of Salisbury, 
Richard Beauchamp, obtained a license to have John Schorne's remains 
removed and translated to a grander setting. His remains were reburied 
in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and promotion of John Schorne's cult 
became part of the Yorkist policy.

After Henry Tudor won the throne, John Schorne's cult fell from favor 
and he was never canonized. His tomb was last noted during Elizabeth's 
reign. It was apparently removed during later renovations and both tomb 
and contents are now lost. John Schorne's well still exists, and a 
statue in the North Marston Church commemorates the man who almost 
became a saint.

Here is the short Wikipedia page about John Shorne: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Schorne . Here is another story about 
John Schorne, which claims his remains were returned to Marston: 
http://www.binhampriory.org/General%20articles/Schorne.html .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge