St Andrew's church in Tudor times
In the Middle Ages there were no seats in churches - the congregation stood while the priest said Mass (Holy Communion) at the altar behind a wooden screen where the people could not see. The service was in Latin which ordinary village people could not understand. The walls of the church were painted with pictures of the saints and stories from the Bible.
When Henry VIII (r.1509 -1547) separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic church in 1534, little changed, except that the Bible was now read in English not in Latin. And Henry was head of the church, not the Pope.
Edward VI (r.1547-1553) changed all that. Services were now in English using a prayer book written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer (who was born at Alsockton just 6 miles north of Langar).
Priests could no longer wear brightly coloured vestments and they were now allowed to marry. Churches had to be plain - Edward sent soldiers to smash stained glass windows and statues and to paint over pictures.
An Inventory
In Edward VI's time, the Rector, Robert Clarke made a list of everything in the church. They are just the sort of things Edward VI did not like. Nobody knows what happened to them.
Lang'r
first one chalis of Silver wt a cover for the same & also one crosse of brasse Also ij bras candilstiks that standith over the alt' Also iiij alt’ clothes of lynyn clothe Also iiij towills of lynyn clothe Also one for fronte to the alt' of paynted lynyn cloth
Also fowre vestmentes whereof one of blacke worstyt Also one othr of gren Sattyne of burgesse one other of them wroght grene cruells & silkes the forthe of the' of lynyne wroght wt silke & goold wt othr nesesaris belogy’gs to the’ Also a coope of the same lynen wroght silke & goold
Also two cruytes Also iiijor Belles A peyre of Sensors of bras Also j Surplis wt Slevis.
Robert Clarke parson
Above: vessels for celebrating Holy Communion from 1536 (not from Langar). Objects like these are rare as many were melted down for the value of their silver or gold during the times of Henry VIII and Edward VI.
Langar
- First one chalice of silver with a cover - for the Communion wine.
- And also one brass cross - the cross that is carried to the front of the church when the priest arrives.
- 2 brass candlesticks standing on the altar.
- Also 4 linen altar cloths (like table-cloths), 4 linen towels (for drying the communion plate and chalice), one painted linen altar front.
- 4 vestments (the special clothes that priests wear for church services) - one of black worsted (high quality woolen cloth - black for funerals), another of green satin, another green one embroidered with silk (green for ordinary Sundays) and a fourth embroidered with silk and gold (for Christmas and Easter) with everything else necessary (rope belt, scarf etc.)
- Also a silk cope (like a cloak) embroidered with gold.
- 2 cruets - jugs for holding communion wine or water.
- 4 bells.
- A pair of brass censers - containers for burning incense.
- 1 surplice with sleeves - a long white item of clothing worn by priests.
↑ Above left: celebrating Mass (Holy Communion) up until the time of Henry VIII.
Above right: A service of Holy Communion in the time of Edward VI.
↓ Below left: King Edward's men clear the church.
Below right: Queen Mary's men put it all back again.
Queen Mary (r.1553 - 1558)
was a Roman Catholic who changed the Church of England back to the old religion. Many churches had hidden their paintings and statues and screens before Edward's soldiers came and these were brought out again.
Click to enlarge the picture →
of the church of Our Lady of Egmanton, Nottinghamshire, restored in Victorian times to look like a medieval Roman Catholic church.
From 1534 when Henry VIII separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church, it must have been a very confusing and upsetting time for people who took their religion very seriously. But if you protested you would end up in prison - or worse.
Queen Elizabeth I (r.1558 - 1603)
was a Protestant who wanted to be tolerant towards Roman Catholics. She had o sympathy with Protestant extremists who wanted to get rid of music, vestments, paintings, statues, incense and bells. In her time church buildings changed little, though as sermons became longer, wealthy people sat on benches or pews.