The various in-depth studies contained in this book show that most monasteries were intricately connected without the outside world in ways which have up until now, never been fully understood.
How Monasteries Connected With the Outside World
Section one is titled The Meeting of the Worlds and the four papers in this chapter examine what it was like to be a guest at a Cistercian monastery, what life was like in a monastery which stood on disputed territory and how senior monastic officials were chosen in medieval times.
The section is full of vivid detail about how monks related to the outside world. There are tales of monks on the border between Scotland and England becoming caught up in territorial disputes and falling prey to violence. The paper on Cistercian hospitality is particularly interesting, with plenty of information about how the Cistercians ran their guest houses and what happened when things went wrong.
Monastic Patrons in the Middle Ages
Religious Houses and Their Patrons and Benefactors is the title of section two; three papers on how monasteries were funded and kept in operation. People of all social classes were involved in sponsoring members of the various religious orders during medieval times.
Whether funding the construction of a medieval monastery, or paying for prayers to be said for a deceased family member, religious patronage was something which was open to almost anyone.
Nuns, Abbesses and Prioresses in the Middle Ages
The study of nuns, abbesses and prioresses in the Middle Ages has tended to take second place to the examination of senior male monastic officials. Section three is two papers on how nuns were recruited in medieval times and what it was like to be a prioress in late medieval Scotland.
A prioress or abbess was expected to be an example to all around her; both those in her religious house and also in the outside world. Such a position was one of the few areas of medieval life where a woman could hold power and authority.
Monasteries and Education
Section four comprises two papers on the role medieval monasteries played in the education of religious and lay people.
An education in a monastery could set a man up for an important career in either the Church or the wider world. Most monasteries possessed large libraries of texts which were unavailable anywhere else.
Monasteries and Urban Space
Section five is two papers on how monasteries such as Canterbury operated when confined within crowded urban settings. The medieval monastic ideal was to have a monastery in a deserted, rural setting, far from the corrupting influence of the outside world.
In reality, medieval Britain was a crowded and busy place and quiet rural spots were not always available. Medieval monks were forced to try to live out their lives alongside their secular counterparts, dealing with visitors as necessary.
Religious Houses in the Regions
The final section of the book is devoted to monasteries in Cornwall and Yorkshire, two regions which were, to medieval eyes, far from the ‘civilised’ city of London. There are comparatively few religious houses in Cornwall, but those which did exist seem to have flourished and were able to trade with their local communities.
Yorkshire had a strong monastic tradition. The final paper of the book is devoted to accounts of the final days of Roche Abbey, before the community was disbanded in the Reformation.
Summary
This is an interesting and authoritative text and each paper has clearly been thoroughly researched. The various essays work well together, to form a clear and vivid picture of monastic life in late medieval Britain.
The book is full of contemporary accounts, coupled with solid background information, which makes for an interesting and informative read. This book deserves to be a classic text for students of this fascinating subject.
Publication Details
Eds: Janet Burton and Karen Stober Monasteries and Society in The British Isles in the Later Middle Ages [Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2008]
ISBN 9781843833864, 255 pages