Summary

In Tudor times, Martin Bucer was a celebrated Protestant theologian. While the Protestant boy-king Edward VI ruled England, Bucer became Professor of Theology at Cambridge. When he died, 3,000 people crammed into Great St Mary’s Church for his funeral – so many that the benches had to be repaired! Six years later, the Catholic, Mary Tudor became Queen and Bucer’s Protestant ideas made him a target for royal revenge. Mary burned many Protestants alive, but Bucer was already dead. This didn’t stop her! His body was dug up from his grave and burned in Market Square. Later, Queen Elizabeth I ordered the ashes to be reburied inside the church and Bucer is still remembered there today.

Story

This history trail is narrated by the poet Michael Rosen, with script researched by Helen Weinstein and the team at Historyworks. This recording is part of a series of Cambridge history trails which have lyrics inspired by 'history beneath our feat' performed by local schoolchildren, with poems by the top poet Michael Rosen and songs by the funny team at CBBC's songwriters commissioned by Historyworks. 

In Tudor times, Martin Bucer was a celebrated Protestant theologian. While the Protestant boy-king Edward VI ruled England, Bucer became Professor of Theology at Cambridge. When he died, 3,000 people crammed into Great St Mary’s for his funeral – so many that the benches had to be repaired! Six years later, the Catholic, Mary Tudor took became Queen and Bucer’s Protestant ideas made him a target for royal revenge. Mary burned many Protestants alive, but Bucer was already dead. This didn’t stop her! His body was dug up from his grave in Great St Mary’s and burned in Market Square. Later, Elizabeth I ordered the ashes to be reburied in Great St Mary’s and Bucer is still remembered there today.

We have a song about Martin Bucer written by Dave Cohen, the CBBC Horrible Histories Songwriter. You can listen and sing along to it on the website.