By historian and author, Amanda Harvey Purse
However, this might not be the pilgrimage you first think of when you connect the words ‘Canterbury’ and ‘Thomas’ together.
Although Canterbury will be forever connected to the murder of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury and one time friend to King Henry II, there is a little Tudor Secret hiding in Canterbury's history which connects another Thomas to another King Henry...
Thomas More was executed at the Tower of London on 6th July 1535 but Thomas was, at one time, the Chancellor and great friend to King Henry VIII at yet he was eventually executed for treason, so how could this have happened?
Although Thomas had apparently already written to the King, suggesting that he was acknowledging Anne Boleyn as Queen Consort of England, Thomas’s action to not appear at Anne Boleyn’s coronation in 1533, was seen as a suggestion Thomas was not fully in line with the King’s wishes. This, with past arguments Thomas had, had with the King, seems to suggest the start of Sir Thomas More’s downfall. – Ives, Eric W (2004), The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn.
At first there were charges put against him that Thomas had accepted bribes, but the evidence for this lacking and Thomas was released.
Then Thomas Cromwell had accused Thomas of giving advice to the “Holy Maid of Kent,” Elizabeth Barton, a nun who had prophesied that the king had ruined his soul and would come to a quick end for having divorced Queen Catherine. – Peter Ackroyd (2012). The Life of Thomas More. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Although it was indeed thought dangerous for anyone to have anything to do with Barton, Thomas had met her, and was impressed by her. But, Thomas had told her not to interfere with state matters.
Nevertheless, Thomas was called before a committee of the Privy Council to answer these charges of treason, and after his respectful answers the matter seemed to have been dropped and had gone away. – Lee, Sidney (1904). Great Englishmen of the Sixteenth Century. London: Archibald Constable, Limited.
But this seemed to be the wrong outcome for Henry VIII, so once again, on 13 April 1534, Thomas was asked to appear before a commission and swear his allegiance to the parliamentary Act of Succession. Thomas did accept Parliament’s right to declare Anne Boleyn the legitimate Queen of England, but he refused to take the oath of supremacy of the Crown in the relationship between the kingdom and the church in England.
Refusing to support the King’s annulment or supremacy, Thomas once again refused to sign the 1534 Oath of Succession confirming Anne’s role as queen and the rights of their children to succession.
In doing so, Thomas had sealed his own fate…
For his enemies within court had enough evidence to have the King arrest him on treason and four days later, this was exactly what King Henry did. Thomas was then imprisoned in the Tower of London…
Thomas Cromwell had made several visits to the Tower, to urge Thomas to take the oath, knowing that the King would have probably welcomed Thomas back, with open arms if he did, but still Thomas refused.
The trial was held on 1 July 1535, before a panel of judges that included the new Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Audley, as well as Anne Boleyn’s uncle, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, her father Thomas Boleyn and her brother George Boleyn. The jury took only fifteen minutes, however, to find Thomas guilty.
The execution took place on 6 July 1535 at Tower Hill. When he came to mount the steps to the scaffold, it was thought that he may collapse due to being so weak. So much so that it is suggested Thomas said to one of the officers,
“I pray you, master Lieutenant, see me safe up and [for] my coming down, let me shift for my self” – Elizabeth M. Knowles, ed. (1999). The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Oxford University Press.
But this is not quite the end of Thomas More’s story…
It is believed that Thomas’s daughter Margaret, later rescued the severed head of her father from London bridge. – Thomas Edward Bridgett (1891). Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More: Lord Chancellor of England and Martyr Under Henry VIII. Burns & Oates.
It is believed that she took with her to Canterbury for it to rest in the Roper Vault of St Dunstan’s Church, Canterbury, of which there are stained glass windows depicting him, perhaps with the remains of Margaret and her husband’s family.
However, it would be also fair to state that some have claimed that the head is buried within the tomb erected for More in Chelsea Old Church. – Doyne Courtenay Bell (1877). Notices of the Historic Persons Buried in the Chapel of St. Peter Ad Vincula: In the Tower of London. J. Murray.
Thomas is still remembered today in various different forms, whether it be in stained glass windows or in plaques form. Thomas More has a street named after him, close to St Katherine Dock, ironically near the Tower of London and he has many statues dedicated to him.
As much as people still make the pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral in honour of Thomas Becket, people still make the pilgrimage to St Dunstan’s church in the same Canterbury in honour of another Thomas, Thomas More.
Showing perhaps, no matter how we personally feel about him or his actions, that his presence in this world, is not forgotten and is still remembered, even after all this time…
About the Author
Being a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and having studied history at university, Amanda has written academic papers for universities and special events including the Hampton Court Palace’s Field of the Cloth of Gold event.
She is the author of The Boleyns: From the Tudors to the Windsors, published by Amberley Publishing.
‘The Boleyns provides a fascinating summary of the lives of some of the Boleyns’ descendants. With adulteresses, soldiers, statesmen, and queens numbered amongst their progeny, it provides a great overview of the later history of a family usually overshadowed by their most famous member.’ — Elizabeth Norton
‘A glittering evocation of the Boleyn family’s rise.’ — Dr Owen Emmerson, Castle Historian, Hever Castle
‘In taking the long view of the Boleyns, this wonderful book offers a genuinely fresh perspective on one of the most famous families in British history. The executioner’s sword might have brought Anne’s story to a brutal close, but her bloodline would endure far beyond that of Henry VIII and is still part of the royal family today.’ — Tracy Borman
Amanda has been a historical researcher for museums, books and television programmes on a range of subjects of different time periods.
She has written articles for many magazines, websites and societies, including: Dan Snow’s History Hit, The Anne Boleyn Files, The Whitechapel Society Journal, The Charles Dickens Society and Tudor Secrets and Myths Facebook page.
She is currently working on a number of historical projects, including another book with Amberley Publishing to follow The Boleyns: From the Tudors to the Windsors, due to published in 2025.
Her other historical factual books include:
● Martha, the life and times of Martha Tabram, a suggested victim of Jack the Ripper. ● Jack and Old Jewry: The City of London Policemen who Hunted the Ripper, published by Mango Books
● The award-winning, Inspector Reid: The Real Ripper Street. ● The Cutbush Connections: In Blood, In Flowers and in the Ripper case, the life, the cases and the family of Superintendent Charles Henry Cutbush.
ahpurse's Blog: Tudor and Victorian Historian 