Produced by Hampshire Archives & Local Studies education service
The Tudor Citizen
16th Century Issue (1500-1600)
The King dissolves local
monasteries
The King, Henry Vlll, was persuaded by
his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, to
close down all religious houses in the
country. These included the following
Hampshire sites: St. Denys, Netley,
Quarr on the Isle of Wight, Titchfield,
Beaulieu, Southwick and St. Swithuns at
Winchester.
the north east of the county.
It was feared that many of the King’s
subjects might rebel against the
closure of the monasteries as jobs
would be lost in the monasteries
themselves and on their farms. The
poorest also relied on monks for food
and money, so how would they survive?.
Cromwell’s argument for closing the
religious houses was that they held vast
treasure stores and great estates
which the King could take for himself
and sell off at a profit. Two men to
profit from the sale of monastic
properties were to be William Paulet,
the Marquis of Winchester, and Thomas
Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton.
Another leading figure in the county,
William Sandes, the Lord Chamberlain,
Above: portrait of King Henry from a
gained Holy Trinity Priory at Mottisfont
royal grant to Thomas Wriothesley.
and its associated manors and pensions,
in return for swapping land at Chelsea
with the King. Holy Trinity supported 10
canons of whom eight were priests and
two novices, as well as 29 others
including servants.
Although the outhouses
Inside This Issue
were in ruin and decay the
King Henry dissolves monasteries
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church and mansion were
Queen Mary married at Winchester
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in good condition. Lord
Plague hits town of Alresford
3
Sandes already held
property in Hampshire
Sanitation concerns in Winchester
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including The Vyne which
Queen Elizabeth visits Elvetham Hall
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he had built for himself in
Content and Images copyright Hampshire County Council.
Tudor Citizen – 16th Century issue
Above: portrait of Queen Mary from a
royal grant
Prince Philip of Spain marries
Queen Mary at Winchester
Bishop Stephen Gardiner, bishop of
Winchester, was released from the
Tower of London where he had been
placed during the reign of King Edward,
in order to marry Philip of Spain and
Queen Mary at Winchester cathedral in
1554.
Mary stayed at Wolvesey Palace, the
Bishop’s residence in Winchester. The
couple married on July 25th, St. James’
Day, as he is patron of saint of Spain.
The wedding ceremony was spoken in
Latin with only the vows by the Bride
and Bridegroom taken in English. Bishop
Gardiner was assisted throughout the
ceremony by the bishops of London,
Durham and Ely.
The City of Winchester benefited from
hosting the royal marriage through a
series of grants, including a reduction in
certain taxes as well as receiving
former monastic properties.
Below can be seen one side of the great
seal of Philip and Mary, showing the
King and Queen on horseback.
Last Will & Testament of
William Agulley of Winchester
William Agulley, Yeoman, died two years
after the royal marriage in 1556. In his
will he gave to his wife Maude his
mansion house in ‘Jayle Street’ (known
now as Jewry Street) ‘being my great
stone hows in which I doo inhabytt’.
The house included a hall, a buttery by
the hall, a parlour by the hall, a kitchen,
a little house by the kitchen, the first
and second lofts over the hall, the
‘appull’ loft, and a little house in the
garden. An inventory of his goods made
after he died included a great deal of
pewter pots and plates, as well as much
wooden furniture in the hall.
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Tudor Citizen – 16th Century issue
Concerns over poor sanitation in
Winchester
The following people were presented to
the City Court of Winchester in 1575:
‘Steven Knight for making a dounghill at
his garden hedge by Sir Henry
Seymours house.’
Above: William Agulley’s house in ‘Jayle’
or Jewry Street, Winchester.
The Plague hits Alresford
The town and parish of Alresford near
Winchester was visited by the plague in
1563, and the parish burial register
records the deaths of the following
people ‘Ex Peste’ [of the plague]:
Thomasin wife of Richard Quallet
Anne daughter of William Prior
Thomasin daughter of Richard Quallet
William son of Richard Quallet
Isod daughter of Richard Quallet
‘John Whit and Frauncis Wodshaw that
theyr servauntes do lay theyr filthy
pottes in the way by Saint Peters
churche.’
‘Mr William Lane, Christopher Jenens,
Bartylmew Lardner and Andrew
Haselbye for letting theyr dogges go
abrod without moselles contrary to the
ordinances of the City.’
‘Andrew Haselbee and Wylliam Pavier
for keeping hoggestyes over the water
wiche is a great annoyance to the
Queen’s people.’
‘William White and Edward Eridge for
that they doo washe theire sheepe
skins in the river at the wasshinge place
to the great nusance of the Queen’s
people.’
Clase daughter of Richard Quallet
John Whyte
Richard Quallet
Peter son of Richard Quallet
John son of Widow Whyte
Joane daughter of William Prior
Above: Book of Ordinances for the City
of Winchester including orders and
decisions made by the Corporation
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Tudor Citizen – 16th Century issue
Queen Elizabeth treated to
spectacular event at Elvetham
Queen Elizabeth, anxious to avoid the
plague which was raging in London, took
her court on a royal progress in 1591.
One of the country houses they visited
was Elvetham Hall in Hampshire home of
the Earl of Hertford, who had lost
favour with the Queen after marrying
Catherine Grey the younger sister of
Lady Jane Grey who was executed at
the Tower of London by Queen Mary.
More Resources Available
If you would like to find out more about
life in Tudor Hampshire there are other
resources available to download free
from the Hampshire Archives website.
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/archives/archiveeducation/online-resources.htm
To make amends the Earl of Hertford
put on a magnificent entertainment for
the Queen which lasted for four days.
Above: Inspeximus charter of Elizabeth
I reciting and confirming an earlier
charter of confirmation of Philip and
Mary dated 1544.
Above: sketch of the ‘entertainment’
for Queen Elizabeth at Elvetham Hall
from a Broadsheet printed in 1591.
Given at Westminster18 Jun 1561, the
first line of the charter is decorated
and includes a portrait of the Queen,
the words 'Vivat Regina' in a capital E
and the royal arms and supporters.
The well-known poet and playwright
William Shakespeare is said to have
written a number of sonnets especially
for the event, and it is thought that his
play ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ was
first performed there before the
Queen.
Other entertainments included tennis,
an opera and fireworks performed from
the island in the great pond as seen
above.
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