John Atherton

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John Atherton, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, was hanged for sodomy under a law that he had helped to institute. His lover was John Childe, his steward and tithe proctor, also hanged. Anonymous pamphlet, 1641.

John Atherton (1598 - 1640) was born in Somerset, England. He studied at Oxford University and joined the ranks of the Anglican clergy.

In 1634 he became Bishop of Lismore and Waterford in Ireland.

In 1640 Atherton was accused of buggery with a man, tried, and condemned to death.

Reportedly, he confessed to the transgression immediately before his execution, although he had proclaimed his innocence before that.

More recently, some historical evidence has been developed that shows Atherton might have been a victim of a conspiracy to discredit him and his patrons.

See also

• Buggery Act 1533
• Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven

Bibliography

• [The Life and Death of John Atherton, London, 1641], (online reprint, at the end of the web page).
• Alan Bray, Homosexuality in Renaissance England, Gay Men's Press, London 1982.
• Matthew Parris, The great unfrocked: two thousand years of church scandal, Robson Books, London 1998 ISBN 0-86051-129-8.
• Rictor Norton, [, The Life and Death of John Atherton].

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