Kentwell 1535

We are now busy winding up to what is our biggest Event of the year - the Great Annual Re-Creation of Tudor Life, Kentwell 1535. In that year King Henry was still at the height of his powers and remained the puissant, admired prince of his youth. The following year the fall from his horse and many other adverse happenings turned him into something like the tyrant of popular myth.  In 1535, he could scarcely do wrong and when wrongs were done as with the deservedly unpopular so-called Amicable Grant tax of 1525 it was easy to blame others. Unable to raise money by that means the King and his able lieutenant Thomas Cromwell  were appraising Monasteries, publicly to investigate possible abuses but more likely to appraise their wealth which the King coveted. Because of his popularity the break with Rome and even the King's divorce from Katherine and marriage to Anne were widely accepted even if their were some grumblings of discontent.  Worse for the populace at large was the inflation which put up prices while wages were held in check.  The quantitive easing of the day was to increase the value of existing coins (a sovereign was declared to be worth 22/6 instead of just 20/- and to introduce new coins with declared values.  Rather easier then than now but the result is the same.  Creating money causes inflation and its always the poor who suffer most.  The Re-Creation starts on 21 June and lasts for just three weeks.  See how our Tudors affect to deal with all the changes which are now coming thick and fast.