The Reformation
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 Reformation 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 Reformation in 1537, the manor and advowson of Rotherham passed to the Earls of Shrewsbury, who were also lay rectors (until 1616).
The Act for Suppression of Chantries and Gilds
Edward VI, Henry VIII's heir has been brought up a Protestant and set about purging the church of the last of its Papist teachings. Amongst Edward's reforms was the Act for Suppression of Chantries and Gilds of 1547 which 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 Restoration of Catholicism
King Edward VI was succeeded by his elder half-sister Mary in 1553. Born in 1516 Mary was well into her thirties when she gained the throne after a lifetime of abuse from her father. She had however remained a fervent Catholic and Catholic rites were restored to churches in England and Wales and the country was brought back under the subjugation of the Pope. Mary married Philip of Spain to secure strong allies abroad and hopefully to father children to succeed to the thone. However Mary was already ill and there were no offspring. Mary resorted to a scheme of arrests, torture and burnings to try and eradicate the Protestant heresies which had taken root. These earned her the undying hatred of many English men and women and the nickname Bloody Mary. The high altar in Rotherham Parish Church was taken down in the reign of Edward VI but restored again in the reign of Queen Mary.
Elizabeth's Church of England
Mary died in 1558 and was succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth. Although brought up a Protestant Elizabeth had nominally been a Catholic in Mary's reign. Elizabeth restored the Protestant Church of England and produced new laws relating to the Church and a new Book of Common Prayer. The country was once again Protestant and people were required to attend the new Protestant services or be fined or imprisoned. As you can well imagine after all the changes of religion poor old Joe and Joan Public were pretty well confused. Most conformed to the new order, some became 'Church papists' and some stuck to their old faith without compromise. By order of the Privy Council the churches of Rotherham had their altars taken down again, the Roods destroyed, frescoes that had adorned the walls whitewashed over and statutes removed. This is not the place to enter the complexities of religion in Elizabethan England but Rotherham as a town became increasingly Protestant in outlook.