Chelmsford & District National Trust Supporter Group

Report by Shirley Deering

On the evening of the 10th April members gathered for the final meeting of the 2023-24 winter programme. The invited speaker, Ken Crowe, gave a detailed and well researched talk on a little-known facet of the story of the Dissolution of the Monasteries - what happened to all the fittings and furnishings of the monastic homes.

Many of the English monasteries were very wealthy, they owned farms and flour mills which were rented to tenant farmers and millers, from this and other income they received substantial financial support. They were required to pay a tenth of this income to the Pope in Rome. Having broken with Rome and declared himself head of the Church of England, it was obvious to Henry Vlll that this income tax was now payable to him. Hence he set about the huge and complex task of assessing the monetary value of every religious house in England. Ken explained that the dissolution of the Monasteries actually had two phases. The first took place in 1535 to 36 and covered the smaller monasteries and priories, those thought to be worth less than £200. The larger monasteries were tackled later and it was not until 1540 that every religious house had been suppressed.

King Henry appointed Royal Commissioners, who were responsible for seeing that a detailed inventory was made of everything in each building, and the composition of the building itself. So, everything was listed, from the bells to teaspoons, from the lead on the roof to the flagstones on the kitchen floor and everything given a value. Everyday items were sold at auction and many items made of precious metals were melted down. Proceeds from sales went to the King’s coffers, though if there were any items he particularly liked the look of he would keep them to put in one of his palaces.

Sadly, we don’t know what happened to all the displaced monks, but Ken assured us that the senior priors and canons were given a lump sum or annual pension, or offered the living of a parish church. So perhaps King Henry wasn’t all bad!