CHRISTIANS have started a petition for one of York’s most famous women to have a street named after her.

St Margaret Clitherow was martyred on Ouse Bridge in the 16th century, is mentioned in a film about the city, has had a book written about her and been suggested as the name of a rail locomotive to represent York – but she has yet to have a street in her honour.

Now the York branch of the Knights of St Columba, a Catholic organisation, has started a petition to have her recognised with her own street.

John Rayne-Davis, acting Grand Knight said: “The Knights do feel very strongly about her – she is one of our patron saints – but apart from that she is very much appreciated by others. She is seen as a very prominent woman of York.”

St Margaret Clitherow, whose saint’s day is today in the Catholic calendar, is widely respected by different Christian denominations, and last year there was an ecumenical celebration in her honour in York.

Earlier this year she was the inspiration for a Latin Mass in York Minster followed by a procession to English Martyrs’ Church in Dalton Terrace.

The petition is available at the churches of Our Lady’s, Acomb, English Martyrs and St George’s, Walmgate, and Mr Rayne-Davis is contacting other York churches in the hope they will also host the petition.

He said anyone could sign it. The Knights plan to present it to the Lord Mayor of York in the hope it will lead to a new street in a housing development or an unnamed street such as a river walk being named after her. They stress they do not want to rename an existing street.

• St Margaret’s Terrace in Walmgate is named after the adjacent St Margaret’s Church, which was founded in the 12th century and is now the National Centre for Early Music. It was not dedicated to St Margaret Clitherow.