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The Dissolution of the Monasteries
In the 1530s Henry VIII and his government were in considerable trouble moneywise; in fact they were close to being bankrupt. Although Henry was a devout Catholic he never let this get in the way of a good divorce, a pretty new wife or indeed a profitable business venture. There were many religious foundations throughout England and Wales which owned a great deal of land, property and wealth. After the split of the English church from the church in Rome, following the failure of the Pope to give Henry what he wanted, an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon, the various Catholic monasteries and priories were left in a vulnerable position. Scenting an opportunity for profit, it didn't take long for the wolf packs to descend and rend them to pieces. This was called the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the King, many of the ruling classes, and quite a few ordinary folk as well, made some pretty filthy lucre from the venture. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, the manor and advowson of Rotherham passed to the Earls of Shrewsbury, who were also lay rectors (until 1616).
In 1547 the Act for Suppression of Chantries and Gilds in the reign of Edward VI abolished all the chantries and colleges that supported the idea of purgatory. The many chantry chapels in Rotherham Parish Church, many religious Gilds, the Chapel on the Bridge and the College of Jesus were all closed, their property valued and seized on behalf of the king. The religious Gilds of Holy Cross, Our Lady and St Katherine were amongst those dissolved, but many of the charitable duties that they had undertaken passed into the hands of what later became the Feoffees.
The high altar in the Parish Church was taken down in the reign of Edward VI but restored again in the reign of Queen Mary. My reading has not revealed what happened to it in the reign of Elizabeth although the town became increasingly Protestant in outlook so I doubt it remained for long after Elizabeth's accession. The Rood was destroyed during the Reformation, and the frescoes that had adorned the walls were whitewashed over.