Straying at the edges: Lollardy and iconoclasm on the Hampshire-Surrey border, 1433–40

Abstract This article brings to light Lollard activity at the Hampshire-Surrey border from 1433 to 1440 that culminated in a failed insurrection, with iconoclastic violence at its core. Based primarily on unpublished legal and administrative records of the English crown, it argues that such sources should be consulted more regularly to fill gaps in episcopal heresy proceedings. The latter are largely lacking for the mid fifteenth century, creating the false impression that the Lollard (or Wycliffite) heresy experienced two distinct early and later phases rather than a continuous history (from 1380 to 1528). Biographical details of the main protagonists form a substantial part of the text, allowing assessments to be made of the motivations of the members of the Lollard community involved.