The Home of the Monk: An Account of English Monastic Life and Buildings in the Middle Ages (Cambridge Library Collection - Medieval History)

First published twice in 1926, and again in 1934 with an updated bibliography, Cranage's The Home of the Monk is a small but useful introduction for the visitor to any English monastic site. Working from surviving architectural and documentary evidence, he examines the buildings section by section, explaining how each part of an abbey was used. He briefly explains the history of the various monastic orders which existed in medieval England, and their differences from one another. He also provides plans of what constituted the typical arrangements likely to be found in Benedictine, Augustinian, Cluniac and Cistercian houses. The book provides a useful starting point for further study of medieval religious houses, and a handy guide for the occasional visitor to such sites. This 1934 work provides a succinct explanation of medieval English monastic sites for the general reader or visitor. Taking each part of a typical abbey or priory, Cranage explains how it was used by its residents, supported by documentary and physical evidence. The book includes illustrations and a bibliography.