The Medieval Monastery

by Roger Rosewell

Overview

An illustrated look at life in abbeys and priories, and within the monastic orders, in the middle ages.

Monasteries are among the most intriguing and enduring symbols of Britain's medieval heritage. Simultaneously places of prayer and spirituality, power and charity, learning and invention, they survive today as haunting ruins, great houses and as some of our most important cathedrals and churches.

This book examines the growth of monasticism and the different orders of monks; the architecture and administration of monasteries; the daily life of monks and nuns; the art of monasteries and their libraries; their role in caring for the poor and sick; their power and wealth; their decline and suppression; and their ruin and rescue.

With beautiful photographs, it illustrates some of Britain's finest surviving monastic buildings such as the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral and the awe-inspiring ruins of Rievaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780747812883
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	11/20/2012
Series:	Shire Library , #687
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	80
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Roger Rosewell is the News and Features Editor of Vidimus, the international online magazine about medieval stained glass. Educated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University, he is the author of an award-winning study of medieval wall paintings and is a member of the Royal Photographic Society. He wrote Stained Glass for Shire and also writes at www.rogerrosewell.com

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Four Monastic Orders
Becoming a Monk
The Architecture of Monasteries
Managing a Monastery
Daily Life I: Prayer, Study, Work
Daily Life II: Personal Life
Daily Life III: Domestic
Beyond the Cloister
Nunneries
The Other Orders
Dissolution
Further Reading and Websites
Places to Visit
Index