About St William
William of Perth, also known as Saint William of Rochester (died ca. 1201) was a Scottish saint who was martyred in England. William led a wild and misspent youth, but as an adult he had a complete conversion, devoting himself to God, caring especially for poor and neglected children. He worked as a baker, and gave every tenth loaf to the poor. He attended Mass daily, and one morning on his way to church he found an infant abandoned on the threshold. He named the baby David, and adopted him, and taught him his trade.
Years later he and David set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. During a stopover in Rochester, England the boy David turned on William, clubbed him, cut his throat, robbed the body, and fled. Because he was on a holy journey, and because of the miraculous cures later reported at his tomb, he is considered a martyr.
His tomb and a chapel at his murder scene, called Palmersdene, soon became sites of pilgimage and donation, even by the crown. Remains of the chapel can be seen near the present Saint William's Hospital.
Remains of a chapel are still to be seen near the present St. William's Hospital, on the road leading by Horsted Farm to Maidstone. The shrine of Saint William of Perth became a place of pilgrimage second only to Canterbury's shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, bringing many thousands of medieval pilgrims to the cathedral.
The coat of arms of the ancient See of Rochester bore Saint Andrew's cross as well as a scallop shell in its center, symbolizing Saint William of Perth. St. William is represented in a wall-painting, which was discovered in 1883 in Frindsbury church, near Rochester, which is supposed to have been painted about 1256-1266. His feast was kept on May 23, however he also had another feast day on April 22.
St William Of Perth Primary School, Rochester, is named after him.