A plaque has been unveiled in memory of Christian martyr William Bamford on the outside of an inn in Harwich, Essex. Bamford, a weaver from Coggeshall, was burnt at the stake on 15 June 1555 because of his Christian faith.
The exact spot where he was martyred is unknown, but it is thought that it would have taken place in what was known as the ‘punishment area’. The Essex Protestant Council (EPC) arranged for a commemorative plaque to be placed on the New Bell Inn, in a street called Outpart Eastward, which is in that area.
The plaque was unveiled by the Mayor of Harwich, Ivan Henderson, at an open-air meeting on 16 October, organised by the EPC – the anniversary of the burning of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley in Oxford. The gospel was clearly presented at the meeting, with the Protestant position plainly emphasised.
