Monastic and Religious Orders in Britain 1000-1300

374 Pages·1994·16.881 MB·English

by  Janet Burton

The monastic life has always been a central part of the
Christian experience and a unique experiment in
community life. Yet despite the desire of those who
entered the religious life to turn their backs on the
world, monastic houses remained very much a part
of it. This book explores tbe development of
monasticism in Britain from the last half-century of
Anglo-Saxon England to the year 1300. It
investigates how the monastic order was affected by
the Norman settlement in the years after 1066, traces
the impact on Britain of new European
interpretations of monasticism, and details Britain’s
response to the challenge of providing for the needs
of religious women. It also examines the constant
tensions between the monastic ideal and the demands
made on religious communities by the world, by
their founders and patrons, by kings, and by the
secular church, and explores the vital role of the
religious orders in the economy. This is the first
general book on monastic history to cover England,
Wales and Scotland, and the first general textbook to
explore the interdependence of religious
communities and the wider secular world.
Janet burton is an Associate Lecturer in Medieval
History at St David’s University College, Lampeter.
She has published widely on monastic history and
contributed to Cistercian Art and Architecture in the
British Isles (Cambridge University Press, 1986).

The monastic life has always been a central part of the Christian experience, and
a unique experiment in community life. Yet despite the desire of those who
entered the religious life to turn their backs on the world, monastic houses
remained very much a part of it. This book explores the development of
monasticism in Britain from the last half-century of Anglo-Saxon England to the
year 1300. It investigates how the monastic order was affected by the Norman
settlement in the years after 1066, traces the impact on Britain of new European
interpretations of monasticism, and details Britain’s response to the challenge of
providing for the needs of religious women. It also examines the constant tensions
between the monastic ideal and the demands made on religious communities by
the world, by their founders and patrons, by kings, and by the secular church, and
explores the vital role of the religious orders in the economy. This is the first
general book on monastic history' to cover England, Wales and Scotland, and the
first general textbook to explore the interdependence of religious communities
and the wider secular world.

Cambridge Medieval Textbooks
MONASTIC AND RELIGIOUS ORDERS IN
BRITAIN 1000-1300
Cambridge Medieval Textbooks
This is a series of specially commissioned textbooks for teachers and
students, designed to complement the monograph series Cambridge
Studies in Medieval Life and Thought by providing introductions to a
range of topics in medieval history. This series combines both chrono­
logical and thematic approaches, and will deal with British and European
topics. All volumes in the series will be published in hard covers and in
paperback.
For a list of titles in the series, see end of book.
M O N A ST IC AN D
R E L IG IO U S O R D E R S
IN B R IT A IN 1000-1300
JANET BURTON
St David's l Hiversity (Àdleçc,
Lampeter
jig Cambridge
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 irp
40 West 20th Street, New York, ny 10011-4211, USA
10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia
* © Cambridge University Press 1994
First published 1994
Printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data
Burton, Janet E.
Monastic and religious orders in Britain 1000-1300 / Janet E. Burton
p. cm. - (Cambridge medieval textbooks)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN o 521 37441 3. - ISBN o 521 37797 8 (pbk.)
i. Monasticism and religious orders - Great Britain - History -
Middle Ages, 600-1500. 2. Great Britain - Church history -
Medieval period, 1066-1485. 1. Title. 11. Series.
BX2592.B86 1994
271'.00941'09021-dc20 93-3469 CIP
ISBN o 521 37441 3 hardback
ISBN o 521 37797 8 paperback
WD