The Parish and the Chapel in Medieval Britain and Norway (St Andrews Studies in Scottish History) (Volume 7)

La 4e de couv. indique : "From the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Latin Christendom was increasingly focussed, both institutionally and culturally, on Rome and the papacy. A key element of these changes was a growing concern with the provision of pastoral care and the standardisation of practices and beliefs. However, whilst parish churches have received considerable scholarly attention, chapels have been largely neglected, despite the fact that they were widespread in the landscape of medieval Britain and Norway, found in locations ranging from villages to castles, and central to the life of many. This book, the first major comparative study of the subject, begins by examining what a chapel was, who used them, and their purpose. Using archaeological remains, the wider parish landscape - settlements, transport and geography - and historical records such as papal letters, it then categorises chapels according to function and their relationship with the parish church, showing that they served a far greater range of purposes than has previously been assumed. The author also considers whether the drive for uniformity had an impact on religious landscapes in Britain and Norway, arguing that there is little evidence of a Viking impact on chapel organisation in the British Isles, with the evidence pointing towards Scandinavian adoption of pre-existing organisation and local cults." Interdisciplinary study of chapels provides a more complex and fuller picture of engagement with the Church and Christianity in the Middle Ages.From the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Latin Christendom was increasingly focussed, both institutionally and culturally, on Rome and the papacy. A key element of these changes was a growing concern with the provision of pastoralcare and the standardisation of practices and beliefs. However, whilst parish churches have received considerable scholarly attention, chapels have been largely neglected, despite the fact that they were widespread in the landscape of medieval Britain and Norway, found in locations ranging from villages to castles, and central to the life of many. This book, the first major comparative study of the subject, begins by examining what a chapel was, whoused them, and their purpose. Using archaeological remains, the wider parish landscape - settlements, transport and geography - and historical records such as papal letters, it then categorises chapels according to function and their relationship with the parish church, showing that they served a far greater range of purposes than has previously been assumed. The author also considers whether the drive for uniformity had an impact on religious landscapesin Britain and Norway, arguing that there is little evidence of a Viking impact on chapel organisation in the British Isles, with the evidence pointing towards Scandinavian adoption of pre-existing organisation and local cults. Sarah Thomas gained her PhD from the University of Glasgow; she is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Stirling. List of Illustrations page vii Acknowledgements xi Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 1. The Roles of Parishes and Parish Churches in the Community 12 Origins of the parish 12 Financial support of the parish church through tithes 17 Territorial parishes and boundaries 19 The functions of the parish church 39 Conclusion 49 2. Dependent Chapels 51 Legal definitions 51 Funding and financial obligations 55 Rights gained and lost 57 Reasons for granting dependent status 58 Who was responsible for funding the building of dependent chapels? 61 Characteristics of dependent chapels 62 Conclusion 85 3. Private Chapels 87 Licensing a private chapel 88 Users of a private chapel 89 Functions of the private chapel 92 Grange chapels 106 Conclusion 117 4. Locational Chapels: Distinctive Places and Commemorations 119 Who visited locational chapels? 120 Defining a locational chapel 120 Form and function 140 Conclusion 142 5. Cult Chapels: Pilgrimage, Local, National and International 144 Defining a cult chapel 145 Secluded chapels 146 Beyond-the-boundary chapels 153 Publicly accessible chapels 159 Sponsors of cult chapels 163 Conclusion 164 6. Chapels in the Ecclesiastical Landscape: Uniformity or Localism? 165 The Church and local devotional organisation 165 Scandinavian influences 173 Fourteenth-century population decline 178 Conclusion 183 Conclusion: Diverse and Varied Functions 185 Bibliography 190 Index 208 "From the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Latin Christendom was increasingly focussed, both institutionally and culturally, on Rome and the papacy. A key element of these changes was a growing concern with the provision of pastoral care and the standardisation of practices and beliefs. However, whilst parish churches have received considerable scholarly attention, chapels have been largely neglected, despite the fact that they were widespread in the landscape of medieval Britain and Norway, found in locations ranging from villages to castles, and central to the life of many. This book, the first major comparative study of the subject, begins by examining what a chapel was, who used them, and their purpose. Using archaeological remains, the wider parish landscape - settlements, transport and geography - and historical records such as papal letters, it then categorises chapels according to function and their relationship with the parish church, showing that they served a far greater range of purposes than has previously been assumed. The author also considers whether the drive for uniformity had an impact on religious landscapes in Britain and Norway, arguing that there is little evidence of a Viking impact on chapel organisation in the British Isles, with the evidence pointing towards Scandinavian adoption of pre-existing organisation and local cults"--Back cover Cover 1 Contents 7 List of Illustrations 9 Acknowledgements 13 Abbreviations 15 Introduction 17 1. The Role of Parishes and Parish Churches in the Community 28 2. Dependent Chapels 67 3. Private Chapels 103 4. Locational Chapels: Distinctive Places and Commemorations 135 5. Cult Chapels: Pilgrimage, Local, National and International 160 6. Chapels in the Ecclesiastical Landscape: Uniformity or Localism? 181 Conclusion: Diverse and Varied Functions 201 Bibliography 206 Index 224