Group    From 1500  To 1800

The Huguenots

Categories: Religion

Countries: France

French Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name emerged in 1560 but its derivation is unknown. The faith attracted skilled city workers such as weavers, goldsmiths and fan-makers but persecution tended to be their lot; the pictures shows the 1572 St Bartholomew Day's massacre when almost 6,000 were killed.  

The 1598 Edict of Nantes established Roman Catholicism as the religion of France but set reasonably acceptable terms for non-Catholics, such as the Huguenots. But over time conditions for them became harsher.

1685 King Louis XIV gave them the choice of conversion (to Catholicism) or prison. Some found a third option and relocated to London, bringing their skills and establishing, mainly in the East End, thriving industries in silk, lace, weaving, fan-making, etc.

Spitalfields Life has a post tying together the Hugeunots of Soho.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Huguenots

Commemorated ati

French hospital

Site of the French hospital founded by royal charter in 1718 to house the poo...

Read More

French Protestant Church - Soho Square

To the glory of God & in grateful memory of H. M. King Edward VI who by h...

Read More

Hanbury Hall - blue oval plaque

This plaque has a shortened version of the text on the old white plaque.

Read More

Hanbury Hall - tiled plaque

These 20 Delft tiles are decorated with scenes and symbols important in Hugue...

Read More

Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

Christ Church Hall Built in 1719 as a French Hugeonot {sic} church it stood b...

Read More

Show all 9

Other Subjects

Tubby Clayton

Tubby Clayton

C.of E. clergyman and founder of Toc H. Born Australia, but his family returned to England the next year so he was brought up here. While serving as an army chaplain in WW1 he created a soldiers cl...

Person, Philanthropy, Religion

3 memorials
The Right Reverend Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston, CR, KCMG.

The Right Reverend Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston, CR, KCMG.

Bishop and archbishop. Born Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston in Bedford. Ordained in 1937, he became the Bishop of Masai, Tanzania, then the Bishop of Stepney, London, and eventually the second Archb...

Person, Race Issues, Religion, South Africa

1 memorial
St Mary Lambeth

St Mary Lambeth

A wooden church is recorded here in 1062. In the twelfth century a later stone church functioned as the church to the Archbishops' London lodgings next door, at Lambeth Palace.  Largely rebuilt 185...

Building, Religion

1 memorial
Thomas Becket

Thomas Becket

Chancellor, Archbishop and Martyr. Born Cheapside of French parents. son of Gilbert Becket, mercer. Archbishop of Canterbury, 1162 to his death. Assassinated after his erstwhile friend, Henry II, d...

Person, Politics & Administration, Religion, Tragedy

2 memorials
St Antholin Church, demolished

St Antholin Church, demolished

From Geograph British Isles: St. Antholin's, completed in 1688 and regarded as one of Wren's finest City churches, stood on the corner of Sise Lane and Budge Row/Watling Street, roughly on the site...

Building, Religion

1 memorial