Court of Augmentations facts for kids

The Court of Augmentations was a special court set up in 1536 by Thomas Cromwell during the time of King Henry VIII of England. It was also known as the Augmentation Court or just The Augmentation. This court was created to handle all the land and money that the King took from the Roman Catholic Church in England. This happened after the King decided to close down the monasteries, a process called the dissolution of the monasteries, which started in 1536. The Court of Augmentations later became part of the Exchequer (which is like the country's treasury department) in 1554, and was then called the Augmentation Office.

What Was the Court of Augmentations?

The Court of Augmentations was one of several financial courts created during King Henry VIII's rule. Its main job was to manage all the properties and money that the Crown (the King) took from the monasteries. These were religious places like abbeys and priories.

How Was the Court Organized?

This court had its own important officials. These included a chancellor (like a chief judge), a treasurer (who handled the money), lawyers, receivers (who collected payments), and auditors (who checked the accounts).

Why Was This Court Created?

The Court of Augmentations was set up because King Henry VIII decided to close down all the monasteries and other religious houses in England. This was a huge change!

• Starting in 1536: The King first closed smaller religious places that earned less than £200 a year.
• By 1540: Almost all religious houses, including large ones like Waltham Abbey, were closed.
• What happened to the land? All their lands, buildings, and money went to the King.

Most of these church properties were sold off to wealthy people. The Court of Augmentations was specifically created to manage this huge task of selling and keeping track of all these new royal properties and incomes. Some buildings were kept for religious use, like becoming cathedrals, or were bought by local people to become parish churches. But most were sold.

How Did the Court Change Over Time?

The Court of Augmentations didn't stay the same forever.

• In 1547: It joined up with another court called the Court of General Surveyors. This court had been set up to manage other lands owned by the Crown.
• In 1554: The jobs of the Court of Augmentations, the Court of General Surveyors, and another court called First Fruits and Tenths, were all taken over by the Exchequer. This meant the Exchequer became even more powerful in managing the King's money and lands.

Selling Off the Lands

When the Crown wanted to sell a property that used to belong to a monastery, the Court of Augmentations followed a specific process.

• Property Details: Auditors from the court would create special documents called "particulars." These documents described the land, its value, and how much it would cost to buy.
• Buying Process: Someone interested in buying the land would get these "particulars." Then, commissioners (special officials) would review and approve the sale. The details in the "particulars" would then become the official agreement for buying the land.