In 1534 , however , during the reign of King Henry VIII , the church , through a series of legislative acts between 1533 and 1536 , became independent of the Holy See for a period as a national church with Henry declaring himself Supreme Head . This breach was in response to the Pope 's refusal to annul Henry 's marriage to Catherine of Aragon . Although Henry did not himself accept Protestant innovations in doctrine or liturgy , he nevertheless extended toleration , and even promotion , to clergy with Protestant sympathies in return for support for his break with Rome . On the other hand , failure to accept this break , particularly by prominent persons in church and state , was regarded by Henry as treason , resulting in the execution of Thomas More , former Lord Chancellor , and John Fisher , Bishop of Rochester , among others . The See of Rome Act 1536 enforced the separation from Rome , while the Pilgrimage of Grace of 1536 and Bigod 's Rebellion of 1537 , risings in the North against the religious changes , were bloodily repressed . All through 1536-41 Henry VIII engaged in a large-scale dissolution of the Monasteries , which controlled most of the wealth of the church and much of the richest land . He disbanded monasteries , priories , convents and friaries in England , Wales and Ireland , appropriated their income , disposed of their assets , and provided pensions for the former residents . He did not turn these properties over to his national Church of England . Instead they were sold , mostly to pay for the wars . The historian G. W. Bernard argues that the dissolution of the monasteries in the late 1530s was one of the most revolutionary events in English history . There were nearly 900 religious houses in England , around 260 for monks , 300 for regular canons , 142 nunneries and 183 friaries ; some 12,000 people in total , 4,000 monks , 3,000 canons , 3,000 friars and 2,000 nuns . One adult man in fifty was in religious orders . In the Catholic narrative , Henry 's action was sacrilegious , a national violation of things consecrated to God , and evil . Even today , Henry 's act is still considered controversial . Anglicans like Giles Fraser have noted that the property " was stolen " from the Roman Catholic Church and that " this theft of land is the really dirty stuff - the original sin of the Church of England . " Nevertheless , Henry maintained a strong preference for traditional Catholic practices and , during his reign , Protestant reformers were unable to make many changes to the practices of his national church , the Church of England . Indeed , this part of Henry 's reign saw the trial for heresy of Protestants as well as Catholics who resisted his policies
Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
Catholic Church in England and Wales