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Prayer Book (or Western) Rebellion of 1549
In the 1540's King Edward VI of England, (or as he was a minor this was more likely his advisors) introduced a range of measures as part of the Reformation to remove certain practices from the church which were percieved as being too 'catholic'.
In 1548 the Common Prayer Book in Latin was replaced by one in English. This was not uniformly adopted and in 1549 a number of magistrates were tasked with enforcing the change.
The change was extremely unpopular, but nowhere more so than in Devon and Cornwall.
Following the enforced change on Whitsunday 1549 on Whitmonday the parishioners of Sampford Courtenay in Devon convinced the priest to revert to the old ways, likening the English prayer book to 'a Christmas game'. Justices arrived at the next service to enforce the change. An altercation at the service led to a proponent of the change (a William Hellyons) being run through with a pitchfork on the church steps.
The parishioners gathered thousands of supporters from neighbouring towns and villages in Devon, and were also joined by others from Cornwall.
Marching east to Crediton they lay seige to Exeter demanding the wihdrawal of all English manuscripts. Lord Russell with a force including many foreign mercenaries was sent to meet them and the two forces clashed east of Exeter at Fenny Bridges.
The rebels were largely farmers armed with little more than pitchforks but although unmatched the battle was a fiece one. Later both sides regrouped and met again at Clyst Heath. This time Lord Russell's men were clearly victorious and the rebels withdrew. A final confrontation took place back at Sampford Courtenay when the resistance was finally squashed.
Following the rebellion there was substantial retribution with many of the rebels being executed and numerous priests and parishioners went to the gallows.
In total 4,000 people lost their lives in the rebellion.
The rebellion can be described in religious terms, but the resistance was particularly fierce in Devon and Cornwall and this is believed to be due to the fact that the Celtic language was still spoken in parts of Cornwall as it had been until reasonably recently in Devon.
