Richard Caister

Richard Caister (mid-1300s – 4 April 1420) was an English priest and poet in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, and was the confessor to the English mystic Margery Kempe. After his death in 1420 his burial place in Norwich became a pilgrimage site.

Early life Caister was born in the middle of the 14th century in either Caistor St Edmund or Caister-on-Sea.

Clerical career In 1385 Caister was admitted to Merton Priory in Surrey (now in Greater London), where he was educated for ordained ministry.

While Vicar of St Stephen's, Caister was confessor to the mystic Margery Kempe, and he is mentioned a number of times in The Book of Margery Kempe. Caister defended Kempe when she was tried by the Bishop of Norwich Henry le Despenser for Lollardy. Jesu, Lord thou madest me was written in English; as was the Revelations of Divine Love written by Julian of Norwich, who was both Caister's contemporary and neighbour.

Numerous designs of pilgrim badges of Caister survive, with examples held in collections in the British Museum, Museum of London, and Lynn Museum,

The strongly partisan Protestant John Bale (Bishop of Ossory during the reign of Edward VI) claimed Caister as having Wycliffite views. awareness of Caister was revived in 2020, for the 600th anniversary of his death, by St Stephen's, which hosted the Richard Caister Project as a celebration of his life and legacy. The Project included a number of lectures on Caister and related subjects.