The dissolution of the monasteries was one of the most seismic events in English history, reshaping religious life, society, and the landscape itself between 1536 and 1540. Ordered by Henry VIII and carried out by Thomas Cromwell, the Dissolution saw over 800 monasteries, priories, abbeys, and convents across England closed, stripped, and dismantled. But beyond the ruined buildings, this period left thousands of monks, nuns, and friars suddenly displaced—cut off from their communities, vocations, and way of life.
In this post, we’ll explore what really happened during the dissolution of the monasteries and what it meant for the people who lived through it.
Transcript of What Happened to England’s Monks and Nuns?
Today, we’re going to talk about the dissolution of the monasteries—very briefly. The dissolution is a massive topic, right? Books—many, many books—have been written about it, so we’re not going to dig in deep. This is just a quick skim.
I’ve done fuller episodes on this over the years, especially back in 2017 when it was the 500th anniversary of the 95 Theses. I did a big series on the Reformation, including a full episode on the Dissolution. I’ve also done lots on Cromwell and his role in it. So if you want to dig deeper, I’ll put links to some of those episodes below.
Today, we’re just going to talk briefly about some of the famous priories and monasteries that were dissolved, as well as what happened to the monks and nuns whose livelihoods were taken away.
Between 1536 and 1540, more than 800 religious houses across England were closed, stripped, and scattered. It was one of the most dramatic transformations in English religious life—and it wasn’t just about breaking with Rome. Henry VIII wanted power. He wanted wealth. And Cromwell delivered both.
Monasteries were more than places of prayer. They were hospitals, libraries, schools, homes, even hotels for weary travelers. Their destruction wasn’t a neat, quiet thing. It was loud. It was public. It was brutal. For generations, they had shaped the spiritual rhythm of English life—and suddenly, they were just gone, dismantled brick by brick, altar by altar, with the king’s blessing.
Let’s talk about some of the famous monasteries and abbeys that fell. We’ll start with Glastonbury Abbey. Actually, people have noticed I have a lot of Glastonbury stuff around behind me—those are paintings of Glastonbury. I’ve got some cards you can’t see, but whatever. I’ve got some paintings over here. I love Glastonbury. It’s one of my favorite places.
Nowadays, it has this kind of woo-woo, new-age-y feel to it—which is really cool, too. It’s a neat mix of the mystical and the historical. I really love it. Anyway—Glastonbury Abbey. It was ancient, wealthy, and steeped in legend.
It was rumored to be the resting place of King Arthur. Its abbot, Richard Whiting, was in his eighties when Cromwell’s commissioners came. He refused to surrender—and that sealed his fate. In 1539, he was dragged to Glastonbury Tor (which is the tower I have paintings of back there—it’s that tower on the hill). He was hanged, drawn, and quartered as a traitor—at over eighty years old. thank you very much.
The abbey’s treasures were seized, its library was scattered, and its sacred spaces were left to rot. This was sacrilege to many people. Obviously, this went beyond politics. It was just sacrilegious.
Then there’s Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. It had been one of the wealthiest Cistercian houses in Europe. Its lands stretched for miles. Its buildings were grand. The monks surrendered in 1539 without any violence. The abbey did not survive. The buildings were gutted, the valuables were hauled off, and the estate was handed to one of Henry’s men. Today it stands in ruins—but the scale still impresses.
Tintern Abbey—another one—was set in a river valley in Wales. It was dissolved in 1536 and was one of the earliest casualties of the Dissolution. Initially, there was this idea that only the most corrupt houses would be targeted—or the smallest ones that weren’t really making a profit. But then it moved on to everything.
Like, they didn’t really have a consistent process. It was just, “Oh, there’s money here, there’s wealth, it’s an abbey or a monastery—let’s get rid of it.” So there wasn’t really any kind of method to it at all.
Tintern was one of the first. Its monastic life ended quietly. The ruins survived, and by the 18th century it had become a favorite subject for poets and painters—transformed from a spiritual center into a symbol of picturesque decay.
Waltham Abbey had royal connections and deep historic roots. It was said to be the resting place of Harold Godwinson. It closed in 1540. Its buildings survived for a while, but over time they were also dismantled.
And the final one we’ll mention is Lewes Priory. It wasn’t just dissolved—it was obliterated. Cromwell’s agents used gunpowder to destroy what remained, leaving very little behind. It was one of the most dramatic erasures of a religious house.
So what happened to all of the people who were living there—the monks and the nuns? Well, for the monks, there were a couple of different options. What happened next depended on your age, your rank, and your obedience.
Abbots who cooperated were often rewarded with very generous pensions. Some lived out their days in relative comfort. The average monk—especially the younger ones—got far, far less.
Many were given just very small stipends and told to fend for themselves. A few found work as schoolmasters or chaplains. Some tried to carry on their religious lives privately, or they became secular clergy under the new Church of England. Others simply vanished into lay life, taking up farming or a trade.
For men who had spent decades in quiet routine, the upheaval was jarring—and often humiliating. Not everyone went quietly. A handful of abbots refused to surrender their houses, like we said with Glastonbury, they were arrested, tried for treason, and executed.
In addition to Glastonbury’s Richard Whiting, there was also Reading’s Hugh Cook and Colchester’s John Beche. They died as criminals in the eyes of the crown—martyrs to some, rebels to others.
Now, nuns had a very different outcome. They were in a much worse position. They weren’t eligible for full pensions, and because they were nuns, they weren’t allowed to marry under church law.
With no roles left in a reformed church, many had to go live with relatives. Some gathered in informal communities of ex-nuns. A few appealed for housing support. Most faded from the record—their lives effectively erased.
Friars were the most vulnerable—especially the Franciscan friars. They were left absolutely destitute. Their orders did not own property, so they had nothing to fall back on. Some begged, some preached quietly, and others just disappeared completely. There was no safety net for them at all.
Now, that’s just talking about the monks and the nuns. Then there were the communities they served—people who had relied on these houses of worship, these monastic houses, for centuries. Like I said, they were schools, hospitals—they gave out alms to the poor. They were an essential part of the community.
And suddenly, Henry just sold off their land and the buildings to the highest bidder. His henchmen—his people who were loyal to him—got to buy all of those properties. This was also right when the wool trade was starting to take off even more and become more profitable.
So they started enclosing all the lands to graze sheep. All of this common land was gone. And those new landowners weren’t about to start handing out alms or providing the same services that the monasteries had before.
It was a real gap—a real hole—for people in their communities. And it took a long time to figure out who was going to replace those services and how they were going to be replaced. It was a massive period of transition for towns and villages that had relied on these spaces. Yeah—a massive upheaval for people all around, just so that Henry could have more money, land, wealth, power, and be in charge of the Church.
Anyway, the ruins of many of these monasteries still stand, but the people are gone. Of course, the monks, the nuns, the friars didn’t just lose their buildings—they lost communities. They lost their vocations. They lost purpose.
Cromwell’s reform wasn’t just about power or profit—it was about control. It left behind a country that had been spiritually uprooted, piece by piece, stone by stone. So there we have it—a little bit about the Dissolution of the Monasteries and some of how people were affected by it.
Related links:
Medieval Monks and Nuns weren’t as Promiscuous as We All Think They Were
Episode 088: The Henrician Reformation
Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast, the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.
She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).
