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Early Modern Consolidation

The 16th and 17th centuries brought many religious changes in England. The Reformation and the Dissolution, the advent of Protestantism and Puritanism, all had their affect on Exeter and the Cathedral in particular. A local schoolmaster, Thomas Benet, became an early Protestant martyr, in 1531, when he was burnt to death for nailing posters to the cathedral door, denouncing the worship of saints. Only a few years later, his action would not have seemed out of place. In 1534, King Henry VIII made himself Head of the Church of England and widespread church reform was put in place. This situation was less than popular in the West Country but, with the flight of Dean Pole (later Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury), the Crown proceeded to appoint a zealous Protestant, named Simon Heynes, in his place. He white-washed saintly wall-paintings, defaced the books in the Cathedral Library (by removing references to the Pope) and tore Bishop Lacy's brass from his monument in order to make it anonymous and free from pilgrimages. The canons were so outraged that they threw him in prison. Later, the austere nature of worship insisted upon by Edward VI, and his commissioners, required the dismantling of stone altars and the destruction of all holy images. Remarkably, the unique collection of carved bosses and corbels at Exeter Cathedral remained untouched and only one statue was lost from the Image Screen. The Chantries were, however, abolished and Bishop Grandisson's Chapel completely destroyed.

The Exeter annuellars were redundant. Miles Coverdale, translator of the Bible, though largely unpopular, had a small protestant following during his short Episcopate. He was preaching in the Cathedral when news reached him of the Catholic Queen Mary's accession to the throne; and the congregation immediately walked out in disgust. Mary's reign was short-lived though and Protestantism soon returned, bringing still worse restrictions.

During the English Civil War, Exeter was first for Parliament and then for the King. Queen Henrietta Maria fled to the safety of City in 1644 and gave birth to her youngest daughter, Henrietta Anne, within its walls. The little Princess was christened in the Cathedral on 21st July. A few months later, the Royalist diarist, Richard Symonds, visited the Cathedral and his passion for heraldry was easily satisfied by the 150 coats of arms that he recorded in the Cathedral windows. He also noted how the church had been despoiled by parliamentarian troops who "when they had this city, digged up a monument in the south chapel where Bishop Carye lies, and they found a coffin od stone with the bones of a man whole together. Upon the breats lay a silver chalice, which they took away." Following the capture of Exeter by Fairfax and Cromwell, two years later, the Cathedral authorities were completely suppressed by the junta which was given power in the City. The chapter dispersed and the city chamber stepped into their shoes. Destruction followed, during the Commonwealth, with the demolition of the cloister and the Cathedral library building in 1655, the land being sold off for use as a new cloth market. The Cathedral books were saved by a respected local physician, Dr. Vilvaine, who moved them to the Lady Chapel and kept them in good order.