Dissolution of the Monasteries: The Rise and Fall of Britain's Religious Houses

Why did early Christian men want to live in secluded communities? What made these early monasteries successful and how did they spread over the Middle East to Europe? After surviving and thriving for well over five hundred years, why were the monasteries in England and Wales all closed down? And what happened to these properties afterwards? Before they were closed, monasteries were not just vital and thriving centres of spiritual worship; they were also practically rooted in their communities, places of employment, education, welfare and culture.

The dissolution of the monasteries was a change of almost unrivalled magnitude. It is easy to be distracted by the lure of the behaviour of King Henry VIII and the high politics of the Reformation and forget what was going on for ordinary people. The closure of more than eight hundred religious houses saw a massive transfer of property, which reshaped Wales and England's socioeconomic landscape. While it enriched the Crown and the nobility, it also led to increased poverty and the loss of social services previously provided by the monasteries.

Come with me on a journey through the stories of some of the people who were, and for some, still are, associated with the monasteries.