Monasteries and Society in the British Isles in the Later Middle Ages (review)

As the editors of this very welcome collection of essays state in their introduction, the growth of scholarly interest in British medieval monastic history over recent decades is to be applauded. Diligent new scholars have advanced the subject from strength to strength, often moving into hitherto unchartered areas and forcing a reassessment of the work of earlier generations. Notably, we have seen a shift away from a predominantly institutional approach to monasticism, and there is now much greater interest in what Janet Burton and Karen Stöber term “socio-cultural-economic” issues. A further development is the increasing attention paid to the smaller and superficially less interesting houses, redressing the imbalance that at one time favored large and well-documented abbeys and priories.

Burton and Stöber are two hugely energetic teachers and researchers at Welsh universities. Both through their own work, and as tireless conference organizers, they have contributed much to the recent developments. The fifteen papers they have gathered in this particular volume all emphasize the points made above, but the collection also highlights one other significant recent trend—namely, the need to challenge older assumptions about the quality of the religious life in the later Middle Ages. Indeed, not one of these essays looks at twelfth-century monastic growth, focusing instead on what follows between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries.

The book is divided into six sections or themes (for convenience, it is said), but the boundaries are far from rigid, and overlap occurs. The editors state that together the papers “offer insight into important interactions between two types of society in medieval Britain, the monastic houses and the broader communities of which they were part” (p. 7). On the whole, readers will surely agree with this assessment, though they may also feel the material is sometimes stretched too thinly over each theme, four of which are illustrated by just two essays a piece.

In the first section, “The Meeting of Worlds,” there is a closely worded essay by Martin Heale on the selection of monastic superiors in the late Middle Ages. He argues for the importance of external influence, particularly the Tudor government in the decades before the suppression. Also in this section is an essay by Stöber on the social networks of monasteries in Wales, one on Cistercian hospitality by Julie Kerr, and another on the Cistercians and border conflicts by Emilia Jamroziak. Section 2 looks at “Religious Houses and Their Patrons and Benefactors.” Here the coverage extends to Ireland, and the Observant Franciscans at Adare are considered by Colmán Ó Clabaigh, who also offers insights into patterns of patronage of the Irish mendicants generally. Next, Andrew Abram shows how the small Augustinian house at Wombridge in Shropshire attracted and retained the support of a few minor knightly families throughout its history, ensuring its survival in an area where competition for monastic patronage was always intense. Closing the section, Michael Hicks presents an interesting essay explaining the rising costs that may have contributed to a decline in monastic patronage after about 1300.

In section 3 the content turns to “Female Communities,” with an exploratory but assured contribution by Burton on the recruitment of nuns in Yorkshire, and another by Kimm Perkins-Curran in which she argues for the importance of local families in defining the duties of a prioress in Scotland. The fourth section deals with “Monasteries and Education,” in which James Clark gives a fresh and stimulating appraisal of the ongoing role of late-medieval monasteries in education. This is accompanied by Glyn Coppack’s essay on Carthusian Mount Grace, in which archaeological evidence comes to the fore.

The last two sections cover “Monasteries and Urban Space” and “Religious Houses in the Regions.” There is an essay on early Franciscan legislation and lay society (Jens R...