 In 1538 , the chief minister T. Cromwell pursued an extensive campaign against what is termed " idolatry " by the followers of the old religion , culminating in September with the dismantling of the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury . As a consequence , the king was excommunicated by the Pope Paul III on 17 December of the same year . In 1540 , Henry sanctioned the complete destruction of shrines to saints . In 1542 , England 's remaining monasteries were all dissolved , and their property transferred to the Crown . Abbots and priors lost their seats in the House of Lords ; only archbishops and bishops remained . Consequently , the Lords Spiritual – as members of the clergy with seats in the House of Lords were known – were for the first time outnumbered by the Lords Temporal . 
