The End of the Monasteries

In 1539 almost all the monasteries in England and Wales had been closed. In 1535 the King's agents had inspected Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, but had found everything well run - there was no excuse to force it to close.

They also found the Abbey was very rich, and reported of 'a house so great, so goodly and so princely that we have not seen the like.'

Abbot Whiting was a frail, 80 year old, but he refused to surrender the monastery to the King. It was decided to make an example of him. Abbot Whiting was accused of treason, dragged round the town and up Glastonbury Tor. There he was beheaded, along with two other monks.

Whiting's body was quartered - chopped into four pieces, and each piece was hung up in a neighbouring town, while his head was hung over the Abbey gates.

Glastonbury Abbey was emptied and torn down. The stones were used in other buildings.