author
F. R. (Francis Richard) Wegg-Prosser
b. 1824
Remembered as a wealthy English convert whose faith shaped public life as much as private devotion, he helped found the Benedictine community that became Belmont Abbey. His story links Victorian religion, philanthropy, and the Catholic revival in England.
1 Audiobook
Galileo and His Judges
by F. R. (Francis Richard) Wegg-Prosser
About the author
Born Francis Richard Haggitt in Oxfordshire on June 19, 1824, he was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, where he earned first-class honors in mathematics. In 1849 he inherited the Belmont estate from a great-uncle and took the surname Wegg-Prosser.
He is best known for converting to Roman Catholicism and using his resources to establish the Benedictine community that later became Belmont Abbey near Hereford. That work made him an important lay supporter of the English Catholic revival in the 19th century.
He was also active in Catholic public causes, including education and charitable work, and remained a prominent figure in those circles for many years. He died near Hereford on August 16, 1911.