The Gruesome Death of Welsh Catholic Priest William Davies on this day in 1593

On this day 27th July, 1593,  Welsh Roman Catholic priest William Davies was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey (Welsh: Castell Biwmares, Ynys Môn). He was born in Croes yn Eirias, Denbighshire, (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych) and although his date of birth is not known for certain one source gives it as 1555. After being ordained as a priest in April 1585, he worked as a missionary in Wales. With his patron Robert Pugh, he secretly produced the book Y Drych Christianogawl, said to be the first book printed in Wales. This was a time, under the rule of Elizabeth I, when heavy restrictions were placed on Catholics. William Davies was arrested in March 1592.

William Davies was convicted at Beaumaris Assizes of being a Priest. However, local opinion was sympathetic to him to such an extent that he was taken to the English town of Ludlow to be held. After confinement in a number of other locations he was returned to Beaumaris to be tried again. At the Assizes he was sentenced to death and imprisoned in Beaumaris Castle. When the day of his execution came no person from Anglesey would carry out the execution. So men from Chester in England were hired to carry out the gruesome sentence. He is now a Catholic martyr, having been beatified in 1987. A chapel in Anglesey is dedicated to him and a school, Blessed William Davies Catholic Primary School in Llandudno, is named after him.

More information on William Davies is given in this video "A Welshman comes to a sticky end on Anglesey" by Claire Ridgway in her series "On this Day in Tudor History":