Kett's Rebellion

An 18th century depiction of Robert Kett and his followers under the Oak of Reformation on Mousehold Heath

Kett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norfolk, England during the reign of Edward VI, largely in response to the enclosure of land. It began at Wymondham on 8 July 1549 with a group of rebels destroying fences that had been put up by wealthy landowners. One of their targets was yeoman farmer Robert Kett who, instead of resisting the rebels, agreed to their demands and offered to lead them. Kett and his forces, joined by recruits from Norwich and the surrounding countryside and numbering some 16,000, set up camp on Mousehold Heath to the north-east of the city on 12 July. The rebels stormed Norwich on 21 July and on 1 August defeated a force led by the Marquess of Northampton that had been sent by the government to suppress the uprising. Kett's rebellion ended on 27 August when the rebels were defeated by a army under the leadership of the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Dussindale. Kett was captured, held in the Tower of London, tried for treason, and hanged from Norwich Castle on 7 December 1549.

Background to the rebellion

The 1540s saw a crisis in agriculture in England and, with the majority of the population depending on the land, this led to outbreaks of unrest across the country. Kett's rebellion in Norfolk was the most serious of these. The main grievance of the rioters was enclosure, the fencing off of common land by landlords for their own use. Enclosure left peasants with nowhere to graze their animals. Some landowners were forcing tenants off their farms so that they could engross their holdings and convert arable land into pasture for sheep, which had become more profitable as demand for wool increased. Inflation, unemployment, rising rents and declining wages added to the hardships faced by the common people. As one historian put it, they "could scarcely doubt that the state had been taken over by a breed of men whose policy was to rob the poor for the benefit of the rich".

Uprising at Wymondham

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

Kett's rebellion, or "the commotion time" as it was also called in Norfolk, began in July 1549 in the small market town of Wymondham, nearly ten miles to the south-west of Norwich. The previous month there had been a minor disturbance at the nearby town of Attleborough where fences, built by the lord of the manor to enclose common lands, were torn down. The rioters thought they were acting legally, since the king had issued a proclamation against illegal enclosures. Wymondham held their annual feast on the weekend of 6 July 1549 and a play in honour of Saint Thomas Becket, the co-patron of Wymondham Abbey, was performed. This celebration was illegal, as Henry VIII had decreed in 1538 that the name of Thomas Becket should be removed from the church calendar. On the Monday, when the feast was over, a group of people set off to the villages of Morley St. Botolph and then Hethersett to tear down hedges and fences. One of their first targets was Sir John Flowerdew, a lawyer and landowner at Hethersett who was unpopular for his role as overseer of the demolition of Wymondham Abbey (part of which was the parish church) during the dissolution of the monasteries as well as for enclosing land. Flowerdew bribed the rioters to leave his enclosures alone and instead attack those of Robert Kett at Wymondham.

Kett was about 57 years old and was one of the wealthier farmers in Wymondham. The Ketts (also spelt Ket, Cat, Chat, or Knight) had been farming in Norfolk since the twelfth century. Kett was the son of Tom and Margery Kett and had several brothers (a nephew was the clergyman Francis Kett). Two or possibly three of Kett's brothers were dead by 1549, but his eldest brother William was still living and would join him in the rebellion. Kett had a wife, Alice, and several sons (who are not recorded as having been involved in the rebellion). Kett had been prominent among the parishioners in saving their parish church when Wymondham Abbey was demolished and this had led to conflict with Flowerdew. Having listened to the rioters' grievances, Kett decided to join their cause and helped them tear down his own fences before taking them back to Hethersett where they destroyed Flowerdew's enclosures.

"By bearing a confident countenance in all his actions, the Vulgars took him (Kett) to be both valiant and wise, and a fit man to be their commander"

Sir John Hayward, Life of King Edward VI

Kett's Oak, beside the B1172, near Hethersett, Norfolk

The following day, Tuesday 9 July, the protestors set off for Norwich. By now Kett was their leader and they were being joined by people from nearby towns and villages. A meeting point for the rebels was an oak tree on the road from Hethersett to Norwich. Known as Kett's Oak, it has been preserved by Norfolk County Council, and a new plaque was unveiled in 2006. The oak would become a symbol of the rebellion when an oak tree on Mousehold Heath was made the centre of the rebel camp (but this "Oak of Reformation" no longer stands).

Mousehold camp

Kett and his followers camped for the night of 9 July at Bowthorpe, just to the west of Norwich. Here they were approached by the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, Sir Edmund Wyndham, who ordered them to disperse. The response was negative, and the sheriff retreated back to Norwich. Next the rebels were visited by the mayor of Norwich, Thomas Codd, who met a similar response. The following night the rebels camped at nearby Eaton Wood and then, having been refused permission to march through Norwich to reach what was now their destination, Mousehold Heath to the north-east of the city, crossed the River Wensum at Hellesdon and spent the night at Drayton. On Friday 12 July the rebels reached Mousehold, from where they had a vantage point overlooking the city of Norwich, and set up the camp which was to be their base for the next six and a half weeks.

People from all around, including Norwich, joined Kett on the heath such that their numbers amounted to around 15,000. Morale was so high amongst Kett's men that they rejected further offers of money, liquor and official pardons, all the while ripping down enclosures around the city. The camp was administered from the landmark Oak of Reformation, a large tree at the base of Mousehold Heath. The area has now become a car park near Kett's Hill in Norwich.

On 21 July, York Herald, Bartholomew Butler, Esq. went to the rebels on Mousehold, proclaimed the gathering a rebellion and offered pardon. Kett's people reacted angrily to this, as they did not see themselves as rebels. This left the town council in a difficult situation. Up to that point the rebels had been entering the city at will and trading with the townsfolk. The proclamation of York Herald now meant that allowing the rebels access to the city would be seen as collaboration. The authorities therefore shut the city gates and set about preparing the city defences.

Kett was now left with a decision. He would not, probably could not, disperse the camp, but without access to the markets of Norwich, his people would starve. It was therefore decided to attack the city of Norwich, at the time England's second city.

In the late evening of 21 July 1549, rebel artillery positioned on and beneath the heights opposite the Bishopsgate bridge (Mount Surrey, at the top of which now stands a memorial to the rebellion), opened fire. The bombardment and the response from the town's artillery entrenched next to the bridge and around the Cow Tower lasted through the night.

At first light on 22 July, Kett withdrew his artillery. The city defenders had repositioned six artillery pieces in the meadow behind the hospital (now the cricket ground of Norwich school) and were laying down such an accurate fire that the rebels feared the loss of all their guns. Under a flag of truce the rebels demanded access to the city, which the city authorities refused.

Kett's artillery, now on the slopes of Mousehold Heath, opened fire on to the city. The guns in the hospital meadow could not reach far enough uphill to return the fire. At this point, an assault began, ordered perhaps by Kett or perhaps by other rebel leaders. Thousands of rebels charged down from Mousehold and began swimming the Wensum between the Cow Tower and Bishops Gate. The city defenders fired volleys of arrows into the rebels as they crossed, but could not stop the attack. A running battle ensued. In the market square, the York Herald tried to address the rebels, but as threats were made against him, he fled in fear of his life. England's second city was in the hands of a rebel army.

Attacks on the rebels

The King first sent the Marquess of Northampton with 1,500 men to quash the rebellion. As he drew near to the city he sent forward his herald to demand the surrender of the city. The Deputy Mayor, Augustine Steward, responded. It was conveyed that the rebels had retreated out of the city back to the safety of the high ground overlooking the city. Kett had already seen how difficult it was to defend miles of walls and gates and had instead chosen to withdraw. It was much more prudent to allow Northampton's tiny army to defend the city while he again laid siege to it.

On the night of the 21 July the Royal army made its defensive preparations and started patrolling the city's narrow streets. Around midnight, alarms rang out, waking Northampton. It appeared hundreds of rebels were using the cover of darkness and their knowledge of the maze of small streets and alleys around Tombland to launch hit-and-run attacks on Royal troops. Lord Sheffield suggested constructing ramparts along the eastern side of the city which was open to attack and warned that the rebels were crossing the river around Bishopsgate with ease.

By 8 am on 22 July the ramparts were strengthened between the Cow Tower and Bishopsgate, so Sheffield retired to The Maid's Head inn for breakfast. A little after this, Northampton received information that the rebels wished to discuss surrender and were gathering around the Pockthorpe gate. Sheffield went with the Herald to discuss this apparent good turn of events with the rebels. On arrival, Sheffield found no rebels at all. It appears to have been either a false rumour or a diversion, as at that point thousands of rebels again began crossing the River Wensum around Bishopsgate.

Northampton's main force was in the market place. As the attack developed, he fed men through the streets into a growing and vicious street battle that was now taking place across the whole eastern area of the city. Seeing things going the rebels way, Lord Sheffield took command of a body of cavalry and charged the rebels across the cathedral precinct, past St Martin at Place Church and into Bishopsgate Street. Outside the Great Hospital in Bishopsgate Street, Sheffield fell from his horse into a ditch. Expecting then to be captured and ransomed, as was the custom, he removed his helmet, only to be killed by a blow from a rebel, reputedly a butcher named Fulke.

With the loss of a senior commander and his army being broken up in street fighting, Northampton ordered a retreat. The retreat did not stop until the remnants of the Royal Army reached Cambridge.

The Earl of Warwick was then sent with a stronger army of around 14,000 men including mercenaries from Wales, Germany and Spain. Warwick had previously fought in France, was a former member of the House of Commons, and subsequently the Privy Council, making him a strong leader. Despite the increased threat, the rebels were loyal to Kett throughout and continued to fight Warwick's men.

Warwick managed to enter the city by attacking the St Stephens and Brazen gates. The rebels retreated through the city, setting fire to houses as they went in an attempt to slow the Royal army's advance. About 3 pm, Warwick's baggage train entered the city. It managed to get lost and rather than halting in the market place it continued through Tombland and straight down Bishopsgate Street towards the rebel army. A group of rebels saw the baggage train from Mousehold and ran down into the city to capture it. Captain Drury led his men in an attempt to recapture the baggage train, which included all the artillery. He managed to salvage some of the guns in yet another fierce fight around Bishopsgate.

At 10 pm that same night shouts of "fire" started. The rebels had entered the city and were burning it. Warwick was in the same trap as Northampton had been, surrounded inside a city in danger of being burnt to the ground.

At first light on 25 August the rebels changed tactics. Their artillery broke down the walls around the northern area of the city near the Magdalen and Pockthorpe gates. With the north of the city again in rebel hands, Warwick launched a battle. Bitter street fighting eventually cleared the city once again. The rebels bombarded the city throughout the day and night.

On 26 August 1500 foreign mercenaries arrived in the city. These were German "landsknechts", a mix of handgunners and pikemen. With these reinforcements and the townsfolk, Warwick now had an army so formidable it could no longer hide within the city. Kett and his people were aware of this, and that night they began retreating eastwards.

During the morning of 26 August, Warwick led his army out of Norwich in pursuit. The final battle took place at Dussindale. The battle that followed was a disaster for the rebels. In the open, against well armed and trained troops, thousands were killed and the rest ran for their lives.

The actual location of Dussindale has never been established. The most popular theory is that the dale began in the vicinity of the Plumstead Road East allotments that swept into Valley Drive and into the present remnant of Mousehold, into the Long Valley and out into what is now Gertrude Road and the allotments. In Victorian times this area was known as 'Ketts Meadow'. the name Dussindale has been given to a recent housing development in nearby Thorpe St Andrew.

End of the rebellion

Members of Norwich Occupy and Norwich Green Party gather at the gates of Norwich Castle, on 7 December 2011, to commemorate the execution of Robert Kett.

Kett fled during the battle to a nearby town, where he was found a couple of days later. Several other ringleaders were hanged at the Oak of Reformation. Robert Kett and his brother William were taken to Norwich Castle where they were tortured. Eventually they were taken to the Tower of London, where they were convicted of High Treason. On the 7 December 1549, Robert Kett was taken back to Norwich Castle and hanged over the side, his death being purposefully prolonged over days as an example to the people of the city. His brother William was hanged over the side of Wymondham Abbey in a similar manner.

In the 21st century the death of Robert Kett is still remembered by the people of Norwich. On 7 December 2011, the anniversary of his death, a memorial march took place and a wreath was laid by the gates of Norwich castle.

Kett's demands to the King

Kett petitioned King Edward VI with a large number of demands:

1. We pray your grace that where it is enacted for enclosing, that it be not hurtful to have enclosed saffron grounds for they be greatly chargeable to them, and that from henceforth no man shall enclose any more.
2. We certify your grace that whereas the lords of the manors have been charged with certain free rent, the same lords have sought means to charge the freeholders to pay the same rent, contrary to right.
3. We pray your grace that no lord of no manor shall common upon the Commons.
4. We pray that priests from henceforth shall purchase no land neither free nor Bondy [neither freehold nor copyhold], and the lands that they have in possession may be let to temporal men, as they were in the first year of the reign of King Henry VII [1485].
5. We pray that Redeground and meadow ground may be at such price as they were in the first year of King Henry the VII.
6. We pray that all marshes that are holden of the Kings majesty by free rent or of any other, may be again at the price that they were in the first year of King Henry the VII.
7. We pray that all Bushels within your realm be of one strice, that is to say, to be in measure 8 gallons.
8. We pray that priests or vicars that be not able to preach and set forth the word of God to his parishioners may be thereby put from his benefice, and the parishioners there to choose another or else the patron or lord of the town.
9. We pray that the payments of castle-ward rent, and blanche ferme [fee in the form of silver], and office lands [kinds of land taxes], which has been accustomed to be gathered of the tenements, whereas we suppose the lords ought to pay the same to their bailiffs for the rents fathering, and not the tenants.
10. We pray that no man under the degree of a knight or esquire keep a down house [keeping Doves], except if it has been of an old ancient custom.
11. We pray that all freeholders and copyholders may take the profits of all commons, and their to common, and the lords not to common nor take profits of the same.
12. We pray that no Feodorye within your shires shall be a councillor to any man in his office making, whereby the King may be truly served, so that a man being of good conscience may be verily chosen to the same office by the commons of the same shire.
13. We pray your grace to take all liberty of let into your own hands whereby all men may quietly enjoy their commons with all profits.
14. We pray that copyhold land that is reasonable rented may go as it did in the first year of King Henry VII and that at the death of a tenant or of a sale the same lands to be charged with an esey fine (which tenants often paid at the start of their landholding) as a capon or a reasonable sum of money for a remembrance.
15. We pray that no priest shall be a chaplain nor no other officer to any man of honour or worship but only to be resident upon their benefices whereby their parishioners may be instructed with the laws of God.
16. We pray that all bond men may be made free for god made all free with his precious blood shedding.
17. We pray that Rivers may be free and common to all men for fishing and passage.
18. We pray that no man shall be put by your Eschetory and Feodrie to find any office unless he holds of your grace in chief or capite above £10 a year.
19. We pray that the poor mariners or Fisherman may have the whole profits of their fishings as purpres grampes whales or any great fish so it be not prejudicial to your grace.
20. We pray that every proprietary parson or vicar having a benefice of £10 or more by year shall either by themselves or by some other person teach poor men’s children of their parish the book called the cathakysme and the primer.
21. We pray that it be not lawful to the lords of any manor to purchase land freely and to let them out again by copy of court roll to their great advaunchement and to the undoing of your poor subjects.
22. We pray that no proprietary parson or vicar in consideration of avoiding trouble and suit between them and their poor parishioners which they daily do proceed and attempt shall from henceforth take for the full contention of all the tithes which now they do receive but 8d. of the noble in the full discharge of all other tithes.
23. We pray that no man under the degree of [esquire] shall keep any rabbits upon any of their own freehold or copyhold unless he pale them in [confines them] so that it shall not be to the commons nuisance.
24. We pray that no manner of person of what estate degree or condition he be shall from henceforth sell the adwardshyppe of any child but that the same child if he live to his full age shall be at his own chosen concerning his marriage the King’s wards only except.
25. We pray that no manor of person having a manor of his own shall be no other lord’s bailiff but only his own.
26. We pray that no lord knight nor gentleman shall have or take in from any spiritual promotion [gentlemen shouldn't rent the right to collect church tithes].
27. We pray your grace to give licence and authority by your gracious commission under your great seal to such commissioners as your poor commons have chosen, or to as many of them as your majesty and your counsel shall appoint and think meet [suitable], for to redress and reform all such good laws, statutes, proclamations, and all other your proceedings, which hath been hidden by your Justices of your peace, Shreves, Escheatores, and others your officers, from your poor commons, since the first year of the reign of your noble grandfather King Henry the seventh.
28. We pray that those your officers that have offended your grace and your commons and so proved by the complaint of your poor commons do give onto these poor men so assembled 4 d every day so long as they [the poor commons] have remained there [at the camp at Mousehold].
29. We pray that no lord knight esquire nor gentleman do graze nor feed any bullocks or sheep if he may spend forty pounds a year by his lands but only for the provision of his house.

Bibliography

• Beer, B.L. 1982 Rebellion and Riot: popular disorder in England during the reign of Edward VI. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press
• Clayton, J. 1912 Robert Kett and the Norfolk Rising. London: Martin Secker
• Cornwall, J. 1977 Revolt of the Peasantry 1549. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul
• Land, S.K. 1977 Kett's Rebellion: the Norfolk rising of 1549. Ipswich: The Boydell Press Ltd
• Wyler, S. 2009 A history of community asset ownership. London: Development Trusts Association

External links

• Virtual Norfolk: The 'Commotion Time' in Norfolk: Kett's Rebellion of 1549
• Audio of a talk on Robert Kett by Peter Clark for Bristol Radical History Group.