William Dowsing facts for kids
William Dowsing (born 1596, died 1668) was an English puritan. He was also known as "Smasher Dowsing". He became famous for destroying many religious items during the English Civil War. He mostly worked in an area of England called East Anglia.
Contents
Who Was William Dowsing?
Early Life and Important Role
William Dowsing was born in Laxfield, Suffolk. His parents were Wollfran and Johane Dowsing. In August 1643, a powerful leader named Edward Montagu, the Earl of Manchester, gave Dowsing an important job. He became the "provost-marshal" for the armies of the Eastern Association. This meant he was in charge of supplies and administration for soldiers in several counties, including Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
In December 1643, the Earl of Manchester gave Dowsing another big role. He made Dowsing a "Commissioner for the destruction of monuments of idolatry and superstition." This job meant Dowsing had to follow a special rule from the English Parliament. This rule, made in August 1643, said that "all Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry should be removed and abolished."
What Dowsing Had to Remove
The Parliament's rule explained exactly what Dowsing needed to remove. These items included:
- Fixed altars and altar rails
- Steps leading to the altar
- Crucifixes and crosses
- Images and pictures of God, Jesus, or the Virgin Mary
- Pictures of saints or religious writings
In May 1644, the list of items to remove grew even longer. It then included pictures of angels, special church platforms called rood lofts, and containers for holy water. It also covered images made of stone, wood, glass, and even on metal plates.
Dowsing's Work in Churches
From 1643 to 1644, Dowsing visited over 250 churches. He also went to several college chapels at the University of Cambridge. He would remove or damage anything he thought fit the Parliament's rules.
Not everyone was happy with Dowsing's actions. One person, John Barwick, complained about him. Barwick said Dowsing went around "breaking glass windows" and "battering down all our painted glass." He even said Dowsing damaged floors in chapels that had been there for hundreds of years. Barwick also claimed Dowsing made colleges pay money if they didn't fix what he had broken.
Dowsing often had helpers, including friends and family. If they couldn't do the work themselves, he would leave instructions for others to finish. Sometimes, local people helped him. But often, he faced people who didn't want to cooperate or even resisted him. However, Dowsing's job came with the power to call on soldiers if needed. This meant he usually got his way. He charged each church a "noble" (which was one-third of a pound) for his services.
Dowsing's special job ended in late 1644. This happened because his boss, the Earl of Manchester, had a disagreement with Oliver Cromwell, another powerful leader.
Dowsing's Journals
William Dowsing is special among those who destroyed religious items back then. This is because he kept detailed journals of his work. These journals record much of what he did. For example, in his entry for Haverhill, Suffolk, on January 6, 1644, he wrote: "We broke down about a hundred superstitious Pictures; and seven Fryars hugging a Nunn; and the Picture of God and Christ; and divers others very superstitious; and 200 had been broke down before I came. We took away 2 popish Inscriptions with Ora pro nobis and we beat down a great stoneing Cross on the top of the Church."
You can find versions of his journals online today. They help us understand more about what happened during that time. A portrait of William Dowsing has also been found. It is now part of the collections at the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service in the Wolsey Art Gallery in Ipswich.
