John Nutter was born at Reedley Hallows, near Burnley, and was educated in the Grammar School in Blackburn which at that time was run by a Mr Yates. John went to St John's College Cambridge and the English College at Rheims. He was ordained a priest in Rheims Cathedral on September 22nd 1582. He celebrated his first Mass a week later. He then went to Rouen and prepared to sail for England. Whilst he was in Rouen he was taken ill and after some delays left in a ship bound for Scarborough. When he was off the Suffolk coast, a fierce storm arose and Fr Nutter was put ashore at Dunwich. Shortly afterwards, the ship was wrecked and its cargo washed ashore. Amonst the wreckage was a case containing Catholic devotional books. After these were found, suspicion immediately fell on Fr Nutter, who was arrested and put in prison. Here he seemed to win a new strength and converted many ofthe prisoners to the Catholic faith.

On February 12th 1584 John Nutter was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn in London for being a Catholic priest.

Source: Edward Popham, The Martyrs of the Salford Diocese