I love walking around the ruins of abbeys such as Rievaulx, Fountains and Jervaulx, they're just so beautiful, and I like to imagine what they were like in their heyday, when they were vibrant and bustling communities of religious people, and were important to their local communities.
The Dissolution of the Monasteries had such an impact on England, on its landscape and on its people, and so I want to spend the next couple of Claire Chats talks exploring this topic. Today, I want to talk about the monasteries themselves, what they were like and how they played a role in daily life.
Further Reading
- The wonderful Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, starting with Pillars of the Earth
- “The Daily Life of Medieval Monks” by Mark Cartwright - https://www.ancient.eu/article/1293/the-daily-life-of-medieval-monks/
- Medieval Life and Times website - http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-life/life-of-medieval-monks.htm
- Monks behaving badly - https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/monks-sex-drink-gamble-history-pope/
Hi Claire. Thanks very much! This is such an interesting, and broad topic, and I appreciate the information. Also, thanks for the book series recommendation. I wasn’t aware. (I actually thought they were spy thrillers, which means I avoid. I’m very excited to check out a new author.). Michelle t
Yes, I’ve read the “Pillars of the Earth” series, and it was wonderful. Mr. Follett also described the mechanics and engineering of bridges and cathedrals, which was not boring at all (and I’m not a mechanically-inclined person). In fact it was fascinating.