Richard Simpson was a 16th-century English priest who was martyred during the reign of Elizabeth I. Originally an Anglican, he converted to Catholicism and studied at Douai College before returning to England to serve as a missionary in Lancashire and Derbyshire. After being deceived by a stranger who pretended to be Catholic, he was arrested and imprisoned in Derby. Despite a temporary reprieve, he remained steadfast in his faith and was eventually executed alongside two fellow priests in 1588.