1540

In the 1540s, the majority of the population in England depended on agriculture for survival. Landowners started fencing off common land to create pastures for their own sheep as the demand for wool grew more lucrative, leaving peasants with nowhere to feed their animals. This, coupled with inflation, unemployment, rising rents, and diminishing wages, led to an agricultural crisis that sparked a number of rebellions over the years, the most serious of which was Kett's rebellion in Norfolk.

It started in July 1549 at Wymondham, a tiny market town eight to ten miles south-west of Norwich. A neighbouring town had experienced some commotion a month earlier when fences that the lord of the manor had erected to enclose common grounds were taken down. Since Edward Seymour, the Lord Protector, had issued a proclamation against unlawful enclosures, the rioters had believed they were acting legitimately.

The demonstrators made their way to Sir John Flowerdew's property in Hethersett, a barrister and landowner who was despised for overseeing the destruction of Wymondham Abbey during the dissolution of the monasteries and for enclosing land. To get the rioters to leave his enclosures alone, Flowerdew bribed them and convinced them to attack the land of Robert Kett instead.

With a family history in the area dating back to the 12th century, 57-year-old Kett was one of Wymondham's richer farmers. As the driving force behind saving their parish church when Wymondham Abbey was destroyed, Kett was well-liked and well-known. Kett decided to support the rioters' cause after hearing their complaints. He assisted them in tearing down his own fences before bringing them back to Hethersett, where they tore down Flowerdew's enclosures too.

The following day, protesters set off for Norwich with Kett as their leader. Along the way, more and more joined their ranks.

Kett and his followers camped for the night just west of Norwich, where they were approached by the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, Sir Edmund Wyndham, who ordered them to disperse. The protestors refused to leave, and the sheriff retreated to Norwich. The Mayor of Norwich also tried to convince the mob to leave but was met with a similar response. On Friday, July 12, the rebels reached Mousehold, where they had a vantage point overlooking Norwich, and set up the camp that would be their base for the next six and a half weeks.

Kett set up his headquarters in St. Michael's Chapel. The rioters continued to gather numbers until they were larger than the population of Norwich, which was about 12,000 at the time. The rebels drew up a list of 29 grievances and sent it to Protector Somerset.

On July 21, an emissary from the King's Council arrived at Norwich from London and offered pardons to the rebels. Kett rejected the offer, saying he had no need of a pardon because he had committed no treason.

Norwich's officials locked the gates and got ready for battle. The rebels launched an assault, and Norwich fell to the rebels. This defeat in Norwich gave the rebels access to weapons and other military supplies.

The King sent William Parr, the Marquess of Northampton, with about 1,400 men to quell the rebellion. Skirmishes broke out between the two forces with heavy casualties, but the rebels held firm. John Dudley, the Earl of Warwick, was then dispatched with a stronger army of around 14,000 men, including mercenaries from Wales, Germany, and Spain. Despite the increased threat, the rebels were loyal to Kett throughout and continued to fight Warwick's men. Warwick’s forces were joined by a further 1,400 German mercenaries, and the two forces met on the battlefield on the morning of August 27. The rebels were no match for the highly trained and skilled force they faced, and they were defeated. An estimated 3000 rebels were lost on the battlefield compared to Warwick’s 250 casualties.

The morning after the battle, Warwick began executing captured rebels; the numbers vary between 30 and 300. Kett and his brother William were captured and sent to the Tower of London to be tried for treason. The brothers were both found guilty and returned to Norwich, where Kett was hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle on December 7, 1549; his brother was hanged later the same day.

After the rebellion, Kett’s lands were forfeited, although some of them were later restored to one of his sons.

Picture: Kett's Rebellion is remembered on Wymondham's town sign

Sources:

Rebellion and Riot: popular disorder in England during the reign of Edward VI, B.L. Beer

Robert Kett and the Norfolk Rising, J. Clayton

Revolt of the Peasantry 1549, J. Cornwall

An unlikely rebel: Robert Kett and the Norfolk Rising, 1549, A. Hoare