Landscapes of Monastic Foundation: The Establishment of Religious Houses in East Anglia, c.650-1200 (Anglo-Saxon Studies) (Anglo-Saxon Studies)

Monastic studies have traditionally focused upon the post-Conquest period, utilising plentiful house cartularies and account rolls, and exploring the architecture and ground-plans of buildings. This tendency has stressed the economic and art-historical dimension to monasteries, to the detriment of smaller, less wealthy, institutions. It has also concentrated upon the monastic experience of particular religious orders, notably the Cistercians. In this ground-breaking study, the place of the monastery in wider landscapes - topographical, social, economic and political - is considered. By 1215, the Diocese of Norwich contained about a tenth of all English monasteries. This remarkable richness of patronage was no sudden flush of enthusiasm, but a manifestation of religious devotion that had been evolving in East Anglia since the seventh-century Conversion. By integrating archaeological and historical sources, this book presents an in-depth examination of where and how communal religious life developed in the region over half a millennium. In so doing, it demonstrates how the more visible and better-evidenced post-Conquest monastic landscape was typically structured by its Anglo-Saxon past. In turn, the role of the founder as participant in, and creator of, monastic life is reassessed, and shown to be pivotal. A history of monastic foundations in East Anglia, from the middle Anglo-Saxon period to the Normans. Monastic studies usually focus upon the post-Conquest period; here, in valuable contrast, the focus is on pre-Conquest monastic foundations, in the present-day counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Tim Pestell considers the place of the monastery in wider landscapes - topographical, social, economic and political. He observes that by 1215 the Diocese of Norwich contained about a tenth of all English monasteries, a remarkable richness of patronage was no suddenflush of enthusiasm, but a manifestation of religious devotion that had been evolving in East Anglia since the seventh-century Conversion. By integrating archaeological and historical sources, Dr Pestell presents an in-depth examination of where and how communal religious life developed in the region over half a millennium. In so doing, he demonstrates how the more visible and better-evidenced post-Conquest monastic landscape was typically structured by its Anglo-Saxon past. Dr TIM PESTELL is Curator of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum. Monastic studies usually focus upon the post-Conquest period; here, in valuable contrast, the focus is on pre-Conquest monastic foundations, in the present-day counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Tim Pestell considers the place of the monastery in wider landscapes - topographical, social, economic and political. He observes that by 1215 the Diocese of Norwich contained about a tenth of all English monasteries, a remarkable richness of patronage was no sudden flush of enthusiasm, but a manifestation of religious devotion that had been evolving in East Anglia since the seventh-century Conversion. By integrating archaeological and historical sources, Dr Pestell presents an in-depth examination of where and how communal religious life developed in the region over half a millennium. In so doing, he demonstrates how the more visible and better-evidenced post-Conquest monastic landscape was typically structured by its Anglo-Saxon past. Dr TIM PESTELL is Curator of Archaeology at Norwich Castle Museum. CONTENTS ......Page 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ......Page 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......Page 12 ABBREVIATIONS ......Page 16 1. Introduction: Past and Present Approaches to Monastic Studies......Page 18 2. Monasticism in Middle Anglo-Saxon East Anglia......Page 35 3. The First Viking Age and its Consequences for Monasticism in East Anglia......Page 82 4. Monastic Reform and Religious Life in the Later Anglo-Saxon Period......Page 118 5. The Establishment of Monasteries in the Norman Landscape......Page 169 6. Conclusions......Page 235 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......Page 250 INDEX ......Page 282 Pre-Conquest monastic foundations, (in the present-day counties of Norfolk and Suffolk) in their topographical, social, economic and political environment; evolution of religious devotion in East Anglia since the 7th-century Conversion; the influence of the Anglo-Saxon past on the post-Conquest monastic landscape Tim Pestell. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 233-263) And Index.