Anglo-Saxon monasteries
I can describe Anglo-Saxon monasticism and the reform movement of the 10th century.
Anglo-Saxon monasteries
I can describe Anglo-Saxon monasticism and the reform movement of the 10th century.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- In the 8th century, there were at least 200 monasteries in England, almost all Benedictine.
- Some monasteries were large and wealthy establishments and many were important centres of learning.
- The 9th century saw an actual decline in monasticism and also a change in how monasteries were run.
- Viking raids and invasions targeted monasteries and were most responsible for the decline in monasticism.
- A reform movement in the 10th century brought changes to monasticism in southern England.
Keywords
Abbey - the building occupied by a community of monks or nuns
Benedictine - following the rule of St Benedict, a 6th century monk who wrote guidelines for how monks and nuns should live
Monastery - a community of monks
Monasticism - relating to monks and monasteries and religious life in monasteries
Reform - to change with the intention of making better
Common misconception
That Anglo-Saxon monasteries all followed the same rules, as set out by St Benedict.
In fact, the abbot of a monastery was able to decide what the rules of their monastery should be, so that there was a lot of variation between monasteries.
To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon monasteries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: Anglo-Saxon monasteries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Castle Acre Priory unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the building occupied by a community of monks or nuns
a community of monks
relating to monks and monasteries and religious life in monasteries
to change with the intention of making better