Between 1536 and 1540 , the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII of England had a profound and permanent effect on the Yorkshire landscape . Thousands of acres of monastic property was divided and sold to form the estates of the gentry and the newly rich industrial entrepreneurs . This happened right across the county from Guisborough Priory in the north through to Rievaulx Abbey on the North York Moors , Jervaulx Abbey and Fountains Abbey in the dales and Roche Abbey in the south.In all 120 religious institutions were closed in Yorkshire . The unpopularity of the Tudor royals resonated in the Pilgrimage of Grace and Rising of the North . During the reign of Queen Elizabeth Yorkshire saw a steady rise in population . New industries created employment and wealth , and improved farming methods and imports of corn stopped food shortages . The steady rise in population created pressure to enclose common land for agriculture and the farming communities turned increasingly to cottage industries to make a living
Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
History of Yorkshire