On 23 May 1533, Thomas Cranmer convened a court at Dunstable at which he declared the twenty-four year marriage of Henry VIII and Katharine of Aragon to be null and void. He had married Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in January 1533, then later declared their marriage ‘good and valid’ on 28 May 1533. By this time Anne Boleyn was carrying their first child, Elizabeth.

Archbishop Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke, 1545

These would have been his first most notable duties as Archbishop of Canterbury, after being consecrated on 30 March 1533. Cranmer’s time as archbishop also saw the English translation of the bible, the introduction of The Book of Common Prayer in 1549. He was executed for treason during the reign of Mary I for his part in supporting Lady Jane Grey as Edward VI’s successor.   

Otford Palace

The surviving north-west tower and lower gallery (now cottages) of Otford Palace ©Alamy

It was during Cranmer’s tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury that several of the archbishopric’s properties were relinquished to the Crown. In its heyday, Otford palace in Kent, built for William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury at the beginning of the sixteenth century, matched Hampton Court in size and splendour. Henry VIII’s fondness for Otford proved to be something of a poisoned chalice for Thomas Cranmer, who succeeded Warham as Archbishop of Canterbury. Otford Palace was one of a few properties that Cranmer was ordered to give up to the Crown in 1537. It was left to decay in subsequent centuries but luckily some remnants remain. 

In Issue 12 - The Lost Otford Palace Dr Elizabeth Norton explores the history and ruins of this once magnificent palace.

Knole - Archbishop's Palace, Royal Residence, Noble House

The history of Knole, Sevenoaks, up until the mid-sixteenth century, largely mirrored that of nearby Otford, which contained a magnificent residence of its own. Knole, the junior partner in the relationship, was likely part of the manor of Otford by the time of the Domesday Survey in the eleventh century. 

Knole’s history really begins in 1456, when it was acquired by Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, who paid the substantial sum of £266 13s 4d for the estate out of his personal funds. Bourchier, who briefly served as Henry VI’s Lord Chancellor in 1455, was a substantially longer serving archbishop, holding England’s primary see for more than thirty years and crowning three monarchs, including the first Tudor king, Henry VII. As a prince of the church, he was determined to turn Knole into a palace.

The medieval palace of Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, sits at the heart of Knole, one of England's largest houses ©National Trust Images/Mike Calnan, Chris Lacey

William Warham, who served as Archbishop between 1503 and 1532, made alterations too, while he addressed a number of his surviving letters from Knole, indicating that he favoured the house. He hosted Henry VIII there, including in April 1510 when the young king, who had presumably been drawn by the fine hunting to be had in the park, took the time to write to his Deputy in Calais to order him to proclaim the peace that he had made with France. Henry VIII also made a number of grants during the visit.

Henry VIII clearly had a liking for the house, taking the opportunity afforded by William Warham’s death in August 1532, and the subsequent vacancy of the see, to house his daughter, Princess Mary, there from 27 November 1532 until 5 May 1533 when Knole was finally handed back to the new archbishop, Thomas Cranmer. 

The west front and gatehouse of Knole ©Alamy

In 1537, while staying at Otford, Henry VIII decided to add both Knole and Otford to his portfolio, ordering Archbishop Cranmer to transfer them to him. It was the loss of Knole, the smaller of the two residences and, ostensibly, the less grand, that pained the archbishop the most. Cranmer attempted to dissuade the king, arguing that it was ‘too small a house for his majesty’ but was, ultimately unsuccessful, and transferred both houses into royal ownership

In Issue 13 - Knole: Archbishop's Palace, Royal Residence, Noble House, Dr Elizabeth Norton delves into the medieval and Tudor history of this wonderful treasure house.