Claire | October 23, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 23rd October 1538, in the reign of King Henry VIII, Thomas Goldwell, Prior of Christchurch, Canterbury, wrote to Thomas Cromwell. Goldwell was writing to Henry VIII’s chief advisor and vicar-general regarding the forthcoming dissolution of his monastery and its fate. His letter is rather sad and grovelling. It’s even […]
Claire | September 14, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 14th September 1538, the Shrine of Our Lady of Caversham, a religious shrine which had stood since the early 12th century, was destroyed on the orders of King Henry VIII. The shrine was destroyed as part of the king’s dissolution of the monasteries. Let me share some contemporary accounts […]
Joel | March 23, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 23rd March 1540, Waltham Abbey, an Augustinian house in Essex, was surrendered to the Crown. It was the last abbey to be dissolved in Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell’s dissolution of the monasteries. Find out more about this historic abbey, its origins and what’s left today, and also who […]
Joel | March 6, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 6th March 1536, King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries began when the “Act for the Suppression (or Dissolution) of the Lesser Monasteries” was introduced into the Reformation Parliament. The Dissolution of the Monasteries had a major impact on England and her people, but was of great benefit to […]
Claire | March 6, 2017
In February 1536, a parliament which has become known as “The Reformation Parliament” was recalled and met until it was dismissed on 14th April 1536. It had first sat in October 1529 and is referred to as the Reformation Parliament because it was responsible for passing the legislation which led to the break with Rome […]
Claire | April 22, 2014
On the 22nd April 1536, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who had been away from court staying at his country residence, Knole House, wrote a letter to Thomas Cromwell. In it he said: “I was ever hitherto cold, but now I am in a heat with the cause of religion, which goeth all contrary to mine expectation, […]
Claire | December 19, 2013
Here is a rundown of last night’s episode of Tudor Monastery Farm based on my scribbled notes… It is September at the farm, the beginning of autumn and shorter days, The team are preparing for the end of the farming year. They need to make provisions for the winter. They’ve harvested and stored the pea […]
Claire | October 14, 2013
The Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion was an uprising in the North which was sparked off initially by trouble in Lincolnshire. This trouble, in turn, was caused by discontent over the dissolution of Louth Abbey, the government commissions in the area and rumours that these commissions would confiscate jewels and plate from churches and impose new […]
