HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-L Archives

From: "Andrea Vogel" <>
Subject: [HWE] Walloons & French Refugees, Part 1
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 00:44:37 -0700

Listers --

Recently, a fellow researcher sent me a chapter titled Walloons
and French Refugees from the book "Canterbury in Olden Times"
by John BRENT (published in 1860).
Because I thought it would be of general interest here on the list, I
will be posting the whole chapter, in several instalments. Since the
book was published almost 150 years ago, I believe that the copyright
has expired and it is now in the public domain. Hope this is of interest.
Andrea

Here is Part 1 of the chapter, Walloons and French Refugees.

The Walloons, the French Protestants, and other "Strangers," as they
were called, formed at one time no inconsiderable portion of the
population of Canterbury. Although from an early date after the Conquest
many foreigners engaged in various trades and occupations had settled in
England, and especially in the metropolis, their chief influx, which appears
to have taken place in the 16th and 17th centuries, was produced by
religious persecutions.
The cruel proceedings of the Duke of Alva in the Netherlands, where he
represented the policy of his master, the bigoted Philip II of Spain, is
said, about the year 1567, to have driven forth as exiles 100,000 of the
people.

Previous to this date, however, many Dutch and Flemish Protestants had
sought shelter in England, and even in Canterbury. The persecutions in
France, AD 1547, when the entry of Henry II, into Paris was celebrated by
the burning of the Huguenots in several streets, as a holocaust to sanctify
his inauguration; the massacre on Saint Bartholomew’s day, instigated
by his son, Charles IX, AD 1572; the Revocation, by Louis XIV, AD 1685,
of that celebrated act of toleration called the "Edict of Nantes", which
Henry IV had promulgated 87 years previous, and by which his subjects
were permitted to reside in all the cities and places of his kingdom
without being "examined, molested, troubled, or constrained to do
anything in matters of religion against their consciences" – were
among the chief causes that led to immigration of the Protestant
Strangers into this country.

In Canterbury, the largest influx was of the Walloons, refugees from the
Dutch and Flemish Protestant Churches. Certain privileges were granted to
them, and they were permitted to exercise their various trades without being
enforced to purchase their "freedoms". Some of the Walloons, according
to a tradition of their church, arrived in Canterbury in the latter years of
the reign of Henry VIII.

A Walloon church certainly existed in this city AD1550, and perhaps a
few years earlier; and Elizabeth, AD1561, as a further mark of her favour,
grants them for a place of worship the undercroft of the Cathedral. AD1579,
Walloons appear to have had a congregation in the parish of Holy Cross,
Westgate.

The refugees were weavers in silk and stuffs, and manufacturers of sayes
and woollen cloths, and the occupations connected therewith, such as
fulling, dyeing, weaving etc.
AD1649, the sealer of stuffs made by the Walloons had a shilling for
sealing each piece. 9th Elizabeth, 1567, the Queen directs the Corporation
by an order in Council, to receive the Walloons within the liberties of the
city. Some 19 years later, the Corporation tax the Strangers towards the
repairs of the Westgate. This they compound for by paying 15l.

The silk manufacturers may, in some degree, be said to owe their
introduction in this country to the establishment of the refugees, first in
Canterbury, and afterwards in Spital Fields.

End of Part 1

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• [HWE] Walloons & French Refugees, Part 1 by "Andrea Vogel" <>