Y303: English Government and the Church 1066-1216 | OCR A-Level History A (H505)

Y303: English Government and the Church 1066-1216

140 questions
12 subtopics
Thematic study and historical interpretations, one of twenty-one
Y301 to Y321

English Government and the Church 1066–1216 is unit Y303 of OCR History A, one of the twenty-one options in unit group 3, the thematic study and historical interpretations; a student sits one of them.

Its four key topics and three depth studies are main features of central government, the organisation and administration of local government, the government of the Church in England, the role of the archbishops of Canterbury, the reign of Henry I, the Civil War 1139–1154, the reign of Richard I in England. 140 recall questions across 12 subtopics.

Sample questions from Y303: English Government and the Church 1066-1216

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

Main features of central government: the household, Exchequer, chancery and justiciar

How often did the Exchequer sit, and what happened at each session?

Show the answer
It sat twice a year: at Easter the sheriff paid a preliminary instalment and received a tally, and at Michaelmas he presented his full account, which was audited and enrolled.
Main features of central government: role and power of the Crown, reasons for rebellion and its impact

How did the continental possessions affect the taxation of England?

Show the answer
Defending and recovering lands in France required repeated scutages, tallages and general levies on movables, which made heavy Angevin taxation a standing grievance among the English baronage.
The government of the Church in England: the primacy dispute and the Church courts

Why did the Crown generally take Canterbury's side in the primacy dispute?

Show the answer
A single obedient primate made the whole English Church easier to manage through one man, and it discouraged a northern archbishop from becoming a focus for separatist or Scottish influence.
The government of the Church in England: administrative structures and role of monasticism

Which religious order founded in this period was of purely English origin?

Show the answer
The Gilbertines, founded by Gilbert of Sempringham in Lincolnshire, uniquely combining communities of nuns and canons.
Depth study: The reign of Henry I — personality of Henry I and role of Roger of Salisbury

Why do historians disagree about the significance of the Coronation Charter?

Show the answer
Some read it as the first statement of contractual kingship, in which the king openly accepted limits in return for support; others treat it as short-term propaganda by a usurping younger brother, noting how systematically Henry breached its terms once secure.
Depth study: The reign of Henry I — local justice and government, Henry I and the Papacy

What reforms did the English Church achieve under Anselm?

Show the answer
Reforming councils legislated against simony, clerical marriage and pluralism, tightened discipline over clergy, and the primacy of Canterbury over York was reasserted with Henry's backing.
Depth study: The Civil War 1139–1154 — central government, the earldoms and the Church

Why did Stephen create so many earldoms, and how is the policy interpreted?

Show the answer
R. H. C. Davis argued that Stephen was creating military commands to organise the defence of counties; others see the grants as ordinary rewards for loyalty that ended up entrenching regional magnate power at the Crown's expense.
Depth study: The reign of Richard I in England — Finances and William Longchamp

Who was William Longchamp?

Show the answer
Bishop of Ely, Richard's chancellor and from 1190 justiciar and papal legate, effectively ruler of England during the king's absence on crusade.

The 12 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
Main features of central government: the household, Exchequer, chancery and justiciar	Recall questions on the royal household and its money, the Exchequer and its sessions, the Pipe Rolls, the chancery and John’s reign, and the office and holders of the justiciar.	9
Main features of central government: role and power of the Crown, reasons for rebellion and its impact	Recall questions on the role and power of the Crown, the impact of continental possessions of the Crown on government, the reasons for rebellion and its impact on government.	11
The organisation and administration of local government: sheriffs, local courts and the growth of the Common Law	Recall questions on shires and hundreds, sheriffs and the county farm, frankpledge and the murdrum fine, the eyre, the Common Law, writs and the possessory assizes, Clarendon and Northampton, Glanvill, ordeal and the forest.	20
The government of the Church in England: the primacy dispute and the Church courts	Recall questions on the structure of the English Church, the primacy dispute between Canterbury and York, William I’s separate Church courts, their jurisdiction, benefit of clergy and Gratian’s canon law.	10
The government of the Church in England: administrative structures and role of monasticism	Recall questions on administrative structures and the role of monasticism.	10
The role of the archbishops of Canterbury: relationship with the Crown and the Papacy	Recall questions on their relationship with the Crown and the Papacy, the impact of the Papal reform movement, the significance of archbishops, including Lanfranc, Anselm, Theobald, Becket and Langton.	20
Depth study: The reign of Henry I — personality of Henry I and role of Roger of Salisbury	Recall questions on the personality of Henry I, developments in finance, justice and administration, including the Exchequer, the royal household, the development of bureaucracy, the office of justiciar, men raised from the dust, the role of Roger of Salisbury.	8
Depth study: The reign of Henry I — local justice and government, Henry I and the Papacy	Recall questions on local justice and government, feudal obligations, the seizure of Normandy and rebellions, Henry I and Anselm, the issue of homage, the issue of free elections, reforms under Anselm, Henry I as guardian of the Church, Henry I and the Papacy.	12
Depth study: The Civil War 1139–1154 — Causes of rebellion and civil war, extent of disturbances	Recall questions on causes of rebellion and civil war, usurpation, the dismissal of Roger of Salisbury, extent of disturbances, finance of the war, administration of justice.	11
Depth study: The Civil War 1139–1154 — central government, the earldoms and the Church	Recall questions on coinage and royal authority, the survival of central government, Stephen’s earldoms, Henry of Blois, Theobald and canon law, relations with the papacy, monasticism and the legacy of the reign.	9
Depth study: The reign of Richard I in England — Finances and William Longchamp	Recall questions on finances, taxation and royal customs, sale of offices, William Longchamp.	9
Depth study: The reign of Richard I in England — government in the absence of Richard	Recall questions on government in the absence of Richard, the role of Hubert Walter, rebellion under John, the use of itinerant justices, Walter as Archbishop of Canterbury, local government, assizes, Forest Assize, Assize of Weights and Measures, Richard and the Church.	11

Y303: English Government and the Church 1066-1216 is 140 of the 6,240 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.