Synopses & Reviews
This book traces the development of monasticism in England, Scotland and Wales from 1000 to 1300. It explores the nature of the impact of the Norman Settlement on monastic life, how Britain responded to new, European ideas, and also to the needs of religious women. Every aspect of the life and work of the religious orders is covered, from their daily life to their contribution to intellectual developments. Particular attention is paid to the relationships between religious houses and their founders and patrons, showing the degree of dependence on local patrons and the tension between the religious life and the pressures of the world.
Review
"The best survey now available, more detailed and closer to current scholarships . . ." --Religious Studies Review"Students and teachers will find in this book a reliable, sensible, and up-to-date account of its subjects. There are no idiosyncratic opinions; students will never be misled into mistaking a minority viewpoint for a majority consensus....there are many innovative things about this book." Speculum"...by its intelligent, lucid, and detailed summary of the very extensive research published during that half century, it is likely to prove as durable and as valuable to students as the works by Knowles." Journal of British Studies
Synopsis
This book is a comprehensive study of the constitutional developments of the monastic and religious orders in Britain between 1000 and 1300, and their place within the political, social and economic fabric of the wider community, covering Wales and Scotland as well as England.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; Preface; 1. Before the Normans; 2. The coming of the Normans; 3. The regular canons; 4. The new monastic orders of the twelfth century; 5. Women and the religious life; 6. The mendicant orders; 7. The physical setting: monastic buildings and the monastic plan; 8. Inside a religious house: daily life and the chain of command; 9. Learning and literary activities; 10. Religious houses and the wider community: founders, patrons and benefactors; 11. The monastic economy; 12. On the brink of change; Glossary; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.