 Revolt began to stir in St Albans in Hertfordshire late on 13 June , when news broke of the events in London . There had been long @-@ running disagreements in St Albans between the town and the local abbey , which had extensive privileges in the region . On 14 June , protesters met with the Abbot , Thomas de la Mare , and demanded their freedom from the abbey . A group of townsmen under the leadership of William Grindecobbe traveled to London , where they appealed to the King for the rights of the abbey to be abolished . Wat Tyler , then still in control of the city , granted them authority in the meantime to take direct action against the abbey . Grindecobbe and the rebels returned to St Albans , where they found the Prior had already fled . The rebels broke open the abbey gaol , destroyed the fences marking out the abbey lands and burnt the abbey records in the town square . They then forced Thomas de la Mare to surrender the abbey 's rights in a charter on 16 June . The revolt against the abbey spread out over the next few days , with abbey property and financial records being destroyed across the county . 
