| HOME News Terminology Contact |
The Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries took place between 1536 and 1541 during the reign of King henry VIII. Sometimes also referred to as the ‘Supression of the Monasteries’, it was a process which disbanded the monasteries and other religeous organisations in England, Wales and Ireland.
As well as monasteries, Henry appropriated the incomes of friaries, priories and convents, disposing of their assets under the parliamentary Act of Supremacy, which was passed in 1534. This instated the king as Supreme Head of the Church in England, thus separating England from the Papal authority of Rome. In February 1531, as a result of a failed attempt at receiving annulment from the Pope, Henry declared himself Supreme Head of the Church in England.
