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Abominable Idols: Images and Image-breaking under Henry VIII

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2011

Robert Whiting
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Extract

Although the Reformation under Henry viii has received relatively extensive examination from recent historians, one of its most crucial elements has continued to evade adequate investigation. Yet its impact upon the average man or woman may have been as revolutionary as the legitimisation of the English bible or the dissolution of the monasteries, and was arguably far more disruptive than governmental propaganda, ecclesiastical reformulations of dogma, or even the transfer of the supremacy from pope to king. This remarkably neglected phenomenon is the Henrician assault upon images.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Ecclesiastical History , Volume 33 , Issue 1 , January 1982 , pp. 30 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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References

1 A general survey of iconoclasm in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is provided by J. R. Phillips, The Reformation of Images: destruction of Art in England, 1535–1660, Berkeley, Cal. 1973. This work, however, is necessarily brief on the Henrician campaign and says little about lay attitudes. This important subject, as Dr C. Cross observes (History, lx (1975), 292), ‘could gain immensely from detailed regional studies’.

For their generous advice in the preparation of this article I wish to thank Professor J. A. Youings and Dr N. Orme, both of the University of Exeter.

2 Dean and Chapter Library, Exeter Cathedral (hereafter cited as DC), 2920; see below, p. 42.

3 See below, pp. 37 & 40.

4 See below, p. 38.

5 See below, p. 43.

6 See below, p. 42.

7 Hanham, A. (ed.), Churchwardens’ Accounts of Ashburton, 1479–1580 (Devon & Cornwall Record Society, N.S. XV, 1970), 55 Google Scholar.

8 See below, p. 44.

9 Public Record Office (hereafter cited as PRO), Star Chamber Proceedings, Philip and Mary (STAC 4), 8/47.

10 See below, p. 42.

11 See below, p. 38.

12 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 20, fo. 124V.

13 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 1–85, passim.

14 E.g., respectively, on the screens at Kenn, Plymtree and Buckland-in-the-Moor, in glass at St Neot, in sculpture at Tiverton and on the screen at Holne. For the Tiverton Assumption, N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: South Devon, Harmondsworth 1952, 284.

15 E.g. by Robert Ford of St Michael's Mount under Henry VII. PRO, Early Chancery Proceedings (C 1), 80/35 (1486).

16 Cambridge University Library, Additional MS 3041, N. Roscarrock, ‘Lives of the Saints’, fos. 322V, 323. Roscarrock, writing under Elizabeth 1, was himself Cornish.

17 PRO, Exchequer QR Church Goods (E 117), 10/59.

18 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills, (PROB 11), 22, fo. 277 V.

19 Devon County Record Office, Exeter (hereafter cited as DRO), Chagford Churchwardens’ Accounts (hereafter cited as CWA), 1500–30, passim.

20 J. E. Binney (ed.), The Accounts of the Wardens of the Parish of Morebath, 1520–73 (Supplement to Devon Notes and Queries, 1904), 1–114, passim.

21 Roscarrock, ‘Lives’, fo. 393 V.

22 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 81; Binney, Accounts, 10–12.

23 Goulding, R. W. (ed.), Records of the Charity known as Blanchminster's Charity, Louth 1898, 91–4Google Scholar.

24 Binney, Accounts, 63–103, passim.

25 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 55–85, passim.

26 Goulding, Records, 91–4.

27 Binney, Accounts, 9–72, passim.

28 Bond, F. B. and Carnm, B., Roodscreens and Roodlofts, London 1909, i. 82 Google Scholar.

29 Hoskins, W. G., Devon, London 1954, 349 Google Scholar.

30 DRO, Consistory Court Book 854, sub 28 February 1507/8.

31 East Devon Record Office, Exeter (hereafter cited as ERO), Winkleigh CWA, 1513–20, passim ; Hoskins, Devon, 272.

32 Cornwall County Record Office, Truro (hereafter cited as CRO), North Petherwin CWA, fos. 36V, 43, 49V.

33 Bond and Camm, Roodscreens, ii. 384.

34 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 66—77, passim.

35 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 21, fo. 202 v.

36 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills ( PROB 11), 23, fo. 71.

37 PRO, Prerogative Count of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 23, fo. 22.

38 Goulding, Records, 91–4.

39 B.L. Additional MS 32244, Stratton Stockwardens’ accounts, 1534, 1535, 1536, 1537 (mis-dated 1538).

40 DRO, Consistory Court Book 854, sub 28 February 1507/8.

41 DRO, Exeter Holy Trinity CWA, 1510 et seq.; ERO, Exeter St John's Bow CWA, 1520 et seq.; ERO, Exeter St Mary Steps CWA, 1520 et seq.; ERO, Exeter St Petrock CWA, 1500 et seq.

42 B.L. Reading Room 3932 A 28, P. Nichols, The Copy of a Letter, 1547, 4 9–51.

43 Binney, Accounts, 11–48, passim.

44 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 23, fo. 71.

45 Ibid., 23, fo. 29.

46 Ibid., 24, fo. 19.

47 DC, 2920.

48 See below, p. 41.

49 C. G. Henderson, Ecclesiastical History of the log Western Parishes of Cornwall, n.p. 1923–4, 76.

50 See below, p. 42.

51 See below, p. 43.

52 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 20, fo. 124 V.

53 Ibid., 22, fo. 302.

54 Ibid., 28, fo. 17 V.

55 DRO, Episcopal Register XV (Veysey), fo. 30V.

56 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 23, fo. 71.

57 Binney, Accounts, 11–36, passim.

58 PRO, Exchequer QR Church Goods (E 117), 10/59. For pilgrimage to the Mount, Harvey, J. H. (ed.), William Worcestre: Itineraries, Oxford 1969, 99 Google Scholar; Roscarrock, ‘Lives’, fos. 314, 314V; Carew, R., Survey of Cornwall, London 1811, 378 Google Scholar. For bequests, Henderson, Ecclesiastical History, 222, 223.

59 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11), 22, fo. 254V.

60 Henderson, Ecclesiastical History, 195–7.

61 PRO, Star Chamber Proceedings, Henry viii (STAC 2), 26/257.

62 PRO, Exchequer, Court of Augmentations, Proceedings (E315), 126/16, 17. I owe this reference to the kindness of Professor J. A. Youings of Exeter University.

63 See below, p. 43.

64 See below, p. 41.

65 Radford, U. M., ‘The wax images found in Exeter Cathedral’, The Antiquaries’ Journal, xxix (1949), 165 Google Scholar, citing F. Weaver, Wells Wills, 97, 98.

66 Trinity College, Cambridge, MS 0/9/38 (the commonplace book of a Glastonbury monk), fo. 86; Risdon, T., The Chorographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon, London 1811, 319–24Google Scholar; Chanter, J. F., ‘St Urith of Chitdehampton: a study in an obscure Devon saint’, Trans. Devonshire Association, xlvi (1914), 290–308 Google Scholar.

67 B.L. Royal MS 18 BXI, ‘An Answer to the Articles’, fos. 21–2.

68 B.L. Reading Room 4404 B61, P. Nichols, A Godly New Story, 1548, 57, 58, 65–7.

69 ERO, Book 51 (John Hooker, Commonplace Book), fo. 342.

70 J. S. Brewer, J. Gairdner and R. H. Brodie (eds), Calendar of Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII, 1862–1932, xiii (2), 354.

71 PRO, Exchequer QR Church Goods (E117), 10/59.

72 ERO, Book 51, fo. 343; PRO, State Papers, Henry vm (SP 1), 102, p. 33.

73 Gee, H. and Hardy, W. J. (eds), Documents Illustrative of English Church History, London 1896, 269–74Google Scholar.

74 PRO, Exchequer, Court of Augmentations, Proceedings (E315), 126/16, 17.

75 CRO, Camborne CWA, 1535 et seq.

76 ERO, Iddesleigh CWA, 1536, 1537, et seq.

77 PRO, Chancery, Early Proceedings (Ci), 728/23 (1533–8).

78 DRO, Episcopal Register XV (Veysey), fos. 76V, 77.

79 ERO, Book 51, fo. 344.

80 DC, Chapter Act Book 3552, fo. 14V.

81 See above, p. 37.

82 R. N. Worth (ed.), Calendar of Plymouth Municipal Records, 1893, no (First Receivers’ Book, 1539–40).

83 Chanter, ‘St Urith’, 290–308.

84 Smith, L. Toulmin (ed.), The Itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535—1543, London 1964, i. 208 Google Scholar.

85 Binney, Accounts, 1–119,passim.

86 ERO, Book 51, fo. 344.

87 Brewer, Gairdner and Brodie, Letters and Papers, xiii (2), 596.

88 PRO, Chancery, Early Proceedings (Ci), 924/9, 10 (1533–8).

89 PRO, Chancery, Early Proceedings (Ci), 1116/49 (‘544~7)’ Hoskins, Devon, 272. Parts of this loft remain.

90 B.L. Additional MS 32244, Stratton Stockwardens’ accounts, 1538 (mis-dated 1539), 1539, 1543, et seq.; Goulding, Records, 94. This £200 was to cover the loft and certain other work in the church. B.L. Additional MS 32243, Stratton High Cross Wardens’ accounts, 1541, records payment ‘for carrying of a image of Our Lady’ - probably the Visitation-figure planned in 1531.

91 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 99–105, passim.

92 E.g. at Woodbury in 1545–6 the rood was repainted for 20d. ERO, Woodbury CWA, 1546.

93 Binney, Accounts, 1–158, passim.

94 Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, 99. 104.

95 ERO, Exeter St Petrock CWA; ERO, Exeter St John's Bow CWA; ERO, Exeter St Mary Steps CWA; DRO, Exeter Holy Trinity CWA; ERO, Woodbury CWA; Binney, Accounts, passim; ERO, Iddesleigh CWA; ERO, Winkleigh CWA; DRO, Chagford CWA; Hanham, Churchwardens’ Accounts, passim; ERO, Dartmouth St Saviour CWA; DRO, Modbury CWA; B.L., Additional MSS 32243, 32244 (Stratton High Cross Wardens’ accounts, Stratton Stockwardens’ accounts); CRO, Camborne CWA; Antony CWA (transcript in the possession of Mr F. L. Harris).

96 Binney, Accounts, 1–158, passim.

97 PRO, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wills (PROB 11). Gifts to roods appear in 26, fo. 117V (1539); 29, fo. 201 (1540); 29, fo. 151 (1543); 31, fo. 115V (1546).

98 The evidence upon which this paragraph is based is detailed in R. Whiting, ‘The Reformation in the South-West of England’, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Exeter University, 1977, especially 103–8, 124, 197–201.

99 C. Cross, Church and People, 1450–1660, Hassocks 1976, 77, 78.

100 C. Haigh, Reformation and Resistance in Tudor Lancashire, Cambridge 1975, 67, 114, 117.

101 B.L. Royal MS 18 BXI, ‘An Answer to the Articles’, fos. 21–2.