New
New
Year 10
AQA

Norman monastic reform

I can describe how monasteries were involved in Norman religious reforms.

New
New
Year 10
AQA

Norman monastic reform

I can describe how monasteries were involved in Norman religious reforms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Monastic life in Norman England was based on the Rule of St Benedict.
  2. Monasteries were important to Lanfranc's reforms of the English Church.
  3. As well as his Church reforms, Lanfranc also circulated new monastic rules.
  4. The Normans introduced Cluniac monasteries to England.
  5. English abbots were replaced with Normans.

Common misconception

Monks were all poor.

Although individual monks gave up all their possessions, Norman monasteries were often extremely wealthy because they held very large amount of land granted to them by the king or Norman barons and knights.

Keywords

  • Order - in this context, groups of monks or nuns who live together as a religious community, following a set of rules for that order

  • Liturgy - the prayers and rituals regularly carried out together by a religious community or religious group

  • Celibate - not having sexual relationships, usually for religious reasons

  • Constitution - a set of principles and legal decisions which people agree to follow

The history of nunneries in Norman England is very interesting, with many women choosing to become nuns to escape the changes that Normans brought to English women's lives after the conquest. A popular historical charity has excellent online resources on this topic.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
A is a religious journey to a holy place.
Correct Answer: pilgrimage
Q2.
At which English battle did William de Warenne support William of Normandy?
Stirling Bridge
Correct answer: Hastings
Bannockburn
Bosworth
Q3.
The Cluniac monks strictly followed the Rule of St ...
Correct Answer: Benedict, Benedictine
Q4.
How did William I reward William de Warenne for his loyalty?
He built a castle in his honour.
Correct answer: He gave William extensive lands in Norfolk, Sussex and Yorkshire.
He gave him an annual salary.
He gave him a position in the Church.
He gave William extensive lands in Kent, Northumbria and Wales.
Q5.
Where did William de Warenne found his first Cluniac priory in England?
Castle Acre
Correct answer: Lewes
Oxford
Durham
Salisbury
Q6.
Castle Acre Priory was a Cluniac priory set up in the county of in East Anglia in 1085.
Correct Answer: Norfolk

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words with their correct definitions.
Correct Answer:order,groups of monks who live as a religious community following set rules

groups of monks who live as a religious community following set rules

Correct Answer:liturgy,the prayers regularly carried out together by a religious group

the prayers regularly carried out together by a religious group

Correct Answer:celibate,not having sexual relationships, usually for religious reasons

not having sexual relationships, usually for religious reasons

Correct Answer:constitution,a set of principles and legal decisions which people agree to follow

a set of principles and legal decisions which people agree to follow

Q2.
Write the missing word. Archbishop wanted to see a stricter adherence to Benedictine Rule in England through his religious reforms.
Correct Answer: Lanfranc
Q3.
In Lanfranc's monastic constitutions, the wording of which part of religious services was reformed?
baptism
Bible readings
Correct answer: the liturgy
Q4.
How many Benedictine monasteries were there in England by 1135?
35
75
150
Correct answer: 250
350
Q5.
The correct term for the head of a monastery which is independent of other monasteries is an ...
Correct Answer: abbot
Q6.
In 1083, English monks at which monastery resisted Lanfranc’s changes to religious services, with tragic consequences?
Shrewsbury
Dunster
Correct answer: Glastonbury
Tavistock
Ely

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