The Prayer Book Rebellion, 1549

When Henry VIII reformed the church in England, a law was passed that from Whit Sunday 1549 all services were to be in English and the old Latin Book of Prayer was illegal. Feelings ran high, not only in Cornwall where English was not spoken but in SW Devon. On Whit Monday in one village, Sampford Courtenay, the villagers gathered outside this Church House and demanded that their priest go back to the old Latin Prayer Book.
William Hellyon, a yeoman farmer, climbed these steps and tried to persuade everyone to go home before any more harm was done. But all in vain. There were shouts and jeers, then suddenly, without warning, a shot rang out and William Hellyon fell dead.