Two years after the death of his father, Thomas was sent to Jesus College, Cambridge to continue his studies.

Thomas Cranmer declared that the marriage between King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon was illegal and was annulled. The marriage between Henry and Anne Boleyn could then be formalised.

Thomas Cranmer declared that the marriage between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn was legal.

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer.

A short rebellion began and lasted a couple of weeks and was the prelude for a much larger rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. The Lincolnshire rebellion began in response to Henry VIII's unpopular policies, including the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The Rebels also had grievances against Henry's unpopular advisers like Thomas Cranmer. The rebels consisted of both common people and land owners alike, but some land owners were forced to take part. The rebels reached Lincoln where they were assured King Henry VIII would listen to their demands if they disbanded. Meanwhile Henry ordered that an army should be sent to Lincoln to defeat the rebels. By the time that army, led by the Duke of Suffolk, reached Lincoln the rebels had dispersed.

A large rebellion began in north in Yorkshire following those in Lincolnshire. Known as The Pilgrimage of Grace this rebellion again protested against the unpopular policies and advisers of King Henry VIII. They wanted Henry to put a stop to the dissolution of the monasteries and the removal of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer and Henry's adviser Thomas Cromwell. The leader of the rebellion was Robert Aske, a lawyer and excellent organiser. Somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000 rebels were involved and they took control of Pontefract Castle which fell to them without any resistance.