History Features

Henry VIII knew Bedfordshire well. He hunted in the parks at Ampthill and Ashridge and often stayed in Dunstable as a guest of the Prior on journeys to and from London or Hampton Court.

The copper beech in the churchyard

The Priory itself was later demolished as Henry plundered the wealth of the monasteries. But it was in Dunstable that an event happened which would contribute to the religious and political organisation of the country forever.

By 1527 Henry had fallen for Anne Boleyn and was certain that his Queen, Catherine of Aragon would not bear him a male heir. His desire for a divorce from Catherine led to England’s separation from Rome and made Henry head of the Church in England so that the divorce could go ahead, although Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher were executed for their opposition.

Catherine was popular with the people so she was sent to Ampthill Castle, a sumptuous mansion in Ampthill Park. The "weighty matter" of the divorce was held in 1533 in the Lady Chapel of the Priory Church under the jurisdiction of Thomas Cranmer.

The stained glass window in the Priory

Catherine was invited to attend but declined and remained incarcerated at Ampthill. Officially Henry knew nothing of the hearing which for him was out of sight and out of mind  in Dunstable, but in reality he was kept informed by messenger.

Today, all that remains in Dunstable are the nave of the church - spared demolition because it was owned by the people of the town – and Priory House, a hostel used by Henry's entourage, which survived as a private residence and now is a heritage and visitor centre. But it is possible to work out where Cranmer heard the divorce at the Luton end of the churchyard, marked by a beautiful copper beech.

The connection with the divorce was a matter of shame for the town of Dunstable, but is now commemorated in a modern stained glass window showing a broken lover's knot.

The dig at Ampthill

Ampthill Castle fell into disrepair very shortly after Catherine's departure. Now the site is being excavated in a two week archaeological dig. The walls are clearly defined although above the ground, little remains, as the ruins would have been used to patch up buildings in the town. The sheer size of the mansion is clear from the distance between the trenches.

After the dig the remains will be reburied, but the Aragon connection is marked by Catherine's Cross which has just been restored by the Town Council.