Kett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norfolk, England during the reign of Edward VI. The rebellion was in response to the enclosure of land. It began in July 1549 but was eventually crushed by forces loyal to the English crown.
The rebellion was led by Robert Kett (or Ket) of Wymondham born in 1492 in Wymondham, Norfolk. Robert was the fourth son of Tom and Margery Kett. He was a former tanner who had become the owner of the manor of Wymondham. After his capture he was tortured, then hanged slowly over a number of days at Norwich Castle as an example to the people of the city.
Contents |
The town of Wymondham illegally celebrated the life of Saint Thomas Becket on the weekend of 6 July 1549. It was here that the anger of the townspeople turned to violence. They started ripping down enclosures in the nearby village of Morley St. Botolph before proceeding onto John Flowerdew's estate at Hethersett. Flowerdew bribed the people into ripping down enclosure belonging to Robert Kett (b. 1492). But the bribe backfired when Kett himself joined with the mob and helped them tear down his own fences before leading them to Flowerdew's house where they ripped down his fences.
By 9 July, Kett had led the men to the city of Norwich. The mayor at the time was so scared by the rebellion that he attempted to bribe the men with money and a promise of pardon, which the rebels squarely rejected, forcing the mayor back within the city walls.
On 11 July, Kett set up a base on Mousehold Heath, just outside Norwich. People from all around the area, including Norwich itself, 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 bribes 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 21st July, York Herald (Bartholomew Butler, Esq.) went to the rebels on Mousehold. He 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 until 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, and without access to the markets of Norwich, his people would starve. It was therefore decided to attack the City of Norwich, Englands second city.
In the late evening of July 21st 1549, rebel artillery positioned on and beneath the heights opposite the Bishopsgate bridge (mount Surrey, at the top of which now lays a memorial to the rebellion), opened fire. The bombardment, and response from the towns artillery entrenched next to the bridge and around the Cow Tower, lasted through the night.
At first light on 22nd July, Kett withdrew his artillery. The city defenders had repositioned 6 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, a demand which the city authorities had no choice but to refuse.
Kett's artillery, now on the sloped of Mousehold heath, opened fire into the city. The guns in the hospital meadow could not reach far enough uphill to return the fire. At this point, an assault, ordered perhaps by Kett or perhaps by other rebel leaders, began. Thousands of rebels charged down from Mousehold and began swimming the Wensum in the area from the Cow Tower up to Bishops Gate. The city defenders fired volleys of arrow 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.
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 cities narrow streets. Around midnight alarms rang out, waking Northampton. It appeared hundreds of rebels were using cover of darkness and their knowledge of the maze of small streets and alleys around Tombland to launch hit-and-run attacks on the Royal troops. Lord Sheffield suggested constructing ramparts along the eastern side of the city which was open to an attack and 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 a 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 up in the market place, it continued down 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 and now within 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 had no choice but to start 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 disaster for the rebels. In the open, against well armed and trained troops, they were destroyed. 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'. Dussindale has also been used as the name given to a recent housing development in nearby Thorpe St Andrew.
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. William Kett was hanged over the side of Wymondham Abbey in a similar manner.
Kett petitioned King Edward VI with a large number of demands: