What effect did the dissolution of the monasteries have on English society and culture?

The dissolution of the monasteries happened during a remarkably short period of time. The buildings were abandoned and the monks dispersed. But what happened next? What effect did this have nationally and locally? Who gained and who lost out?
Students find out the fate of a selection of monasteries, sorting them into categories and then considering what effect each of these might have had. They can search further in the image database for more examples, including any based in their own locality. They can read a contemporary story of the spoilation of Roche Abbey which describes the feelings of local people as they dismantled the church. Students can then relate their findings to the academic debate around the relative importance of the Dissolution to the social and economic problems of Tudor Britain. Students will use evidence to help in their understanding of the effects of the dissolution of the monasteries and will be able to demonstrate skills in assessing and using evidence, such as the creation of criteria.