1 · 51.28° N, 1.08° E
Canterbury34
Tyler led a group of rebels from Canterbury to London to oppose the collection of a poll tax and to demand economic and social reforms.33
From Kent to London
The revolt began in May 1381 after a new poll tax of four pence was imposed on every person aged fifteen and above. Tyler led rebels from Canterbury to London, and this map follows the places where the story unfolded.1,33
From Kent to London
Route: The rebels' road to London: Canterbury → Maidstone → Blackheath → London Bridge → City of London → Smithfield
2 · 51.27° N, 0.53° E
Maidstone11
John Ball was imprisoned in Maidstone, Kent, at the time of the revolt. Shortly after it began, Kentish rebels released him from prison.12,13
3 · 51.47° N, 0.01° E
Blackheath14
Blackheath was the peasants' rendezvous south of Greenwich. There Ball preached to the rebels in an open-air sermon.15
4, · 51.51° N, 0.09° W
London Bridge16
On 13 June 1381 Tyler and other Kentish rebels crossed London Bridge to enter the city.4
Later, Tyler's head was displayed on London Bridge.17
5 · 51.52° N, 0.09° W
City of London32
Once in London, the rebels destroyed legal records, opened prisons, sacked homes and killed those they thought associated with the royal government.22
The King sheltered in the Tower of London with his councillors and agreed that the Crown lacked the forces to disperse the rebels, so negotiation was the only feasible option.23
6, · 51.52° N, 0.10° W
Smithfield18
On 15 June Tyler and his Kentish forces parleyed with King Richard at Smithfield outside London, where Tyler put forward his demands.7
After an altercation broke out, William Walworth, the Lord Mayor of London, pulled Wat Tyler from his horse and killed him.8
A memorial to Wat Tyler and the Great Rising of 1381 was unveiled in Smithfield on 15 July 2015.10
7 · 51.75° N, 0.58° E
Essex35
The King soon revoked the charters of freedom and pardon he had granted, and went personally into Essex to suppress the rebellion.36