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Thomas Cranmer Facts & Worksheets

Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation, and Archbishop of Canterbury

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Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the adviser to Kings Henry VIII and Edward VI of England. He built the case for Henry VIII’s annulment and was responsible for establishing the basic structure of the Church of England.

See the fact file below for more information on Thomas Cranmer or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Thomas Cranmer worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • Thomas Cranmer was born in Aslacton, Nottinghamshire, on 2 July 1489. He was the second of three sons of Thomas Cranmer and Agnes, who belonged to the lowest rank of English gentry.
  • When Thomas’ father died, there was only enough property and wealth to go to their first son, meaning Thomas and his youngest brother were destined for life in the clergy.
  • At age 14, he was sent to Jesus College in Cambridge where he studied classical literature, philosophy, and logic.
  • It took him eight years to complete his Bachelor’s degree. During this time, he collected medieval scholastic books. He then did his Master’s degree in three years, in which he studied the French theologian and humanist Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples. 
  • Between 1510 and 1511, Cranmer was given a fellowship at Jesus College. He was forced to leave, however, because he got married and it was not permitted, even though he wasn’t a priest yet. He worked as a teacher during this time.
  • Joan Cranmer died in childbirth, and Cranmer was allowed to go back to college. He threw himself into his studies and received a Doctor of Divinity. He was considered highly educated but not very original in thought. He took Holy Orders in 1523 at age 34.

Entry Into Royal Service

  • From about 1520, he became increasingly interested in Martin Luther and his theological ideas. 
  • The future archbishop belonged to a group of scholars of Luther called ‘Little Germany’.
  • By 1525, Cranmer was including an end to Papal power in England in his prayers. 
  • Not a reformer at this stage, Cranmer’s ideas were purely academic. 
  • His career changed dramatically when he was introduced to King Henry VIII. This happened because Cramer fled a plague and was staying in the same town as King Henry VIII. 
  • King Henry VIII wished to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so that he could marry Anne Boleyn and produce a male heir. However, because England was Catholic at this time, his divorce was not permitted by the Church and the Pope.
  • Known as the “King’s Great Matter”, councillors of the king would meet to discuss solutions to the political and religious problem.
  • Cranmer suggested to the councillors that the universities of Europe should be consulted on the legality of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine, so avoiding an appeal to Rome for its annulment. 
  • Impressed by his idea, Henry VIII ordered Cranmer to devote himself entirely to securing Henry’s divorce. 
  • He was appointed Archdeacon of Taunton, and became one of the King’s chaplains.
  • Cranmer gathered academic opinions, and Oxford and Cambridge universities endorsed his position.
  • He also went to Rome and met the Pope, but no progress was made on Henry’s divorce. 
  • He was then appointed Grand Penitentiary of England. 
  • Later, in 1532, he was sent to Germany where he made contact with the Lutheran Princes. During this time, Cramer’s orthodoxy weakened and he married Margaret, the niece of Protestant reformer Andreas Osiander.

Life as Archbishop of Canterbury

  • In 1533, Cranmer was chosen to be the Archbishop of Canterbury after William Warham died. His appointment was secured by the Boleyn family, and came as a surprise, since Cranmer only had minor positions in the Church until now.
  • Henry VIII also personally financed the necessary Papal Bulls in order to secure Cranmer’s appointment. Plus Cranmer had to keep his marriage secret until his appointment was approved by the Pope. 
  • Once he was appointed, Cranmer declared Henry’s marriage to Catherine void, making Mary I illegitimate. Henry quickly married Anne Boleyn, and Cranmer deemed the marriage valid. Anne gave birth to Elizabeth I, and Cranmer was made her godparent.
  • Cranmer was now also able to bring in some of his reforms. For example, Henry VIII supported Cranmer’s wish to have the Bible translated into English. He also wrote a series of litanies that are still in use in the Church of England today. 
  • By 1534, Cranmer had signaled England’s break from Rome and gradually began filling positions in the church with new thinkers. He also supported religious reformers.
  • Until 1535, Cranmer needed to be careful where he went, as there were some bishops who did not accept his appointment and might challenge his authority.
  • Still without a son, Henry VIII now wanted to marry Jane Seymour, and in 1536 ordered Cranmer to secure a divorce from Anne.
  • Cranmer quickly realised that Anne and Henry’s marriage was going to end, no matter what, and so he annulled the marriage on 17 May 1536.
  • Cranmer turned his attention to reforming the Church of England and, with the help of other reformers, instituted changes to make the new religion less Catholic.
  • This made many people very angry, which became a revolt known as the Pilgrimage of Grace.
  • Cranmer attempted to make more changes during the later years of Henry VIII’s reign, but they did not come to much.
  • When Edward VI became king following Henry’s death, Cranmer was able to make changes to the doctrines of the Church of England that he felt were necessary. 
  • Then, in 1549, he helped complete the book of common prayer, which all English churches were required to use and stick to.
  • Edward was a sickly young boy and did not reign for very long before he died. This created a succession crisis and Cranmer supported Lady Jane Grey as the next ruler of England. She only ruled for nine days before Mary I had her executed for treason and became queen. 
  • Mary I was a strong Catholic, and tried Cranmer for treason. After a very long trial and imprisonment, he was forced into declaring that he made a mistake in supporting Protestantism.
  • Even though he took back his beliefs, Mary I still had him sentenced to death.
  • On 21 March, 1556, Cranmer was burned to death. On the day of his execution, he withdrew his recantation and it is said that he put his right hand into the fire first, because that was the hand he signed his recantation with.

Thomas Cranmer Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Thomas Cranmer across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation, and Archbishop of Canterbury.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Thomas Cranmer Fact File
  • Knowing Cranmer
  • The Missing Personalities
  • Cranmer’s Relationship
  • English Reformation
  • Comparing Churches
  • King’s Great Matter
  • Related Words
  • Cranmer’s Works
  • Cranmer and Mary I
  • Cranmer’s Martyrdom

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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