The Archaeological Context of an Anchorite Cell at Ruyton, Shropshire

Current research analysing anchoritic archaeology focuses on the squint that allowed the anchorite to view the Eucharist. However, assessing archaeological evidence for anchorite cells using archaeological context, which involves interpreting the archaeology in relationship to other features or artifacts, is key to developing a more nuanced understanding. The anchoritic archaeology at St. John the Baptist in Ruyton, Shropshire, is an important case study, as this site has not been mentioned in the medieval textual record, and the anchoritic archaeology has only been briefly discussed in other scholarship. This short article demonstrates the value of using archaeological context to provide key information missing from textual sources and to better understand the lived experience of anchorites.