We say our sovereign lord may understand that his false council has lost his law, his merchandise is lost, his common people is destroyed, the sea is lost, France is lost, the king himself is so set that he may not pay for his meat nor drink, and he owes more than ever any King … Read more
Every freeman from henceforth, without danger shall make in his own wood, or on his land, or on his water, which he has within our forest, mills, springs, pools, marlpits, dykes, or earable ground, without enclosing that earable ground, so that it be not to the annoyance of any of his neighbours.[1] In 1217, King … Read more
‘Swing’ was a movement led by impoverished labourers. They took action by machine-breaking and arson, campaigned for increased wages, and called for more generous poor relief. In 1829 there was a wet summer and autumn, which led to record applications for poor relief. An extremely cold winter meant that there was no outdoor employment. The … Read more
Following an insurrection in Canterbury in December 1647, the accused leaders were put on trial in May 1648. However, the Grand Jury refused to indict. The events that followed culminated in the Kentish Rebellion: one of the most significant uprisings of the Second English Civil War. After the jury failed to reach a verdict, they … Read more
In 1647 the celebration of Christmas was declared by Parliament to be a punishable offence. In Canterbury, attempts to enforce this led to discord, rebellion, and violence that erupted in a series of riots. On Wednesday 22nd December 1647 the Canterbury Town Crier declared that Christmas Day would be a normal market day. The mayor … Read more
Torquay is regarded as a sleepy and affluent place. Yet, despite its ‘sleepy’ reputation, the Riot Act was read twice in the nineteenth century. The town was one of great inequality. While large villas were built for wealthy families, there was a shortage of homes for the working people. In one slum, two thousand men, … Read more
The records show numerous occasions when riot and rebellion occurred in Devon. The reasons for disorder were many and included food shortages, price rises, and opposing religious views. Background Between 1790 and 1801, bread prices quadrupled and wages failed to keep up with rising prices. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the Corn … Read more
“Things would not go well with England until everything was held in common….”[1] The summer of 1381 saw widespread discontent among ordinary workers, which resulted in the largest popular uprising in Medieval England.[2] Peasants, agricultural workers, craftsmen and villagers marched on London and demanded freedom from the bonds of serfdom. For two whole days they … Read more
Only two years after the royal supremacy was written into law, and only months after Henry VIII’s first reforms of religious worship, a series of rebellions threatened to halt the English Reformation in its tracks. These rebellions started in October 1536 in the small market town of Louth in the Lincolnshire Wolds and quickly spread … Read more
