The 16th and 17th centuries were a period of massive religious changes.

For nearly a thousand years, there had been one kind of religion in Western Europe – the Catholic Church. Its leader was the Pope in Rome.

In the 16th century Reformation, a new Protestant church was established. Countries took sides according to religion. There followed two hundred years of religious conflict across Europe.

In 1538 King Henry VIII founded the Church of England, with himself as its leader. In only a few years the way people worshipped was overturned.

 

Catholics and Protestants

The Catholic and Protestant churches disagreed on many things.

Catholic churches were brightly painted, with colourful stained glass windows and statues. Protestant churches were generally plain and simple.

After the Reformation it was illegal to attend a Catholic service in England. Catholics had to worship in secret.

Any Catholic priests caught holding services could be executed. Some priests were sheltered at Moorcroft House in Hillingdon.

 

Watch the video to get a personal view, in her own words, of Isabel Millett, a Catholic. 

Puritans

Some Protestants thought their new church was still too ‘Catholic’.

These people were called ‘Puritans’. They wanted services based purely on the Bible. They even frowned on singing and music!

Oliver Cromwell was a Puritan. He famously banned Christmas!

Watch the video to get a personal view, in his own words, of Christopher Love, a Puritan.

Other Protestant Groups

The Civil Wars were a very chaotic period. Many new Protestant groups appeared.

Some, like the Diggers, lasted only a year or two. Others, like the Quakers, are still around today.

Watch the video to get a personal view, in his own words, of Gerard Winstanley, a Digger.

 

Watch the video to get a personal view, in his own words, of Edward Burrough, a Quaker.

The Levellers wanted wider voting rights – though not for women!

The Fifth Monarchists believed that the downfall of the King was a sign of Christ’s return. One of the Uxbridge negotiators, John Carew, was a Fifth Monarchist. He actually signed the King’s death warrant.

Watch the video to get a personal view, in his own words, of Alexander Henderson, a Presbyterian.