Typical As Norton Priory example essay topic

Introduction For nearly 1000 years monasteries dominated the landscape of England and the lives of countless English people. Norton Priory is situated today at the end of Tudor Road which runs through Manor Park. In 1115 the Baron of Halton, William Fitz Nigel, founded a community of Augustinian monks in Runcorn, Cheshire. Nineteen years later they moved to a site at Norton. This was Norton Priory. In 1236 a fire broke out and destroyed part of the church and cloister which meant rebuilding.

Features of Norton Priory The church was both typical and not typical because the church has got a cruciform, its pointing east and extension to cruciform which are typical. However it's not symmetrical due to the addition of the Dutton chapel. The square cloister was both typical and not typical, this was because the south of the church was typical. There were four separate walkways called by four points North, South, East and West. Symmetry to church. Not typical because of extensions.

The aisle was both typical and not typical as you would expect an aisle on a church. Most churches have two aisles so the aisle is un-typical as Norton Priory only has one. Saying this a typical feature of an Augustinian abbey is just a north aisle so you could say it is fairly typical. The walls and gatehouse are unusually small. The idea of small walls is so the Augustinian canons can mix with the general public. The rood screen was typical because you would expect a rood screen to be there.

We can tell that the rood screen is at Norton Priory due to the findings of stone remains. From the infirmary there has been findings of evidence of a man called Hugh and that it has not been excavated so it may not exist. The refectory and kitchen were typical due to the fact that they are close together for good transport, exactly where you would expect them and they have got waterways and wells. The extension of Norton Priory is typical as they wanted to glorify the image of God (wealth) and vow of poverty. The undercroft was typical as the extension was fairly typical. As the monastery grew more there was more need for storage space.

The undercroft of Norton Priory is the only bit with the roof still standing. It has a Romanesque arch and I found evidence of expansions. The Chapter house is typical and non-typical as it is not fully excavated, you would expect to have chapter house where they complete vows of obedience. The passage of Norton Priory is typical as it allows them to check who is coming through. We can't tell if it is typical as you can't see the whole chapter house. The chapter house is ruins which means you have to do a bit of guess work.

Archway of Norton Priory The inner passage was built for security reasons and so ordinary people don't have to go through the whole of the church. The warming room is typical and untypical, the positioning of the warming room is typical but it is a strange shape that is untypical. The architecture of Norton is typical as it is Romanesque and also it has gothic design to finish it off. Some archways are gothic and Romanesque. The appearance of Norton Priory changed due to changes in the size of the community, income through a ferry service and land rental, natural / man made disasters for example fire at Norton, rules had to be kept, for example a new chapter house to cater for increase in monks, vow of poverty- money used to build and the changes in architectural fashion, for example windows in the cloister. Norton got their income from owning land in Oxfordshire and Lincolnshire.

All of these points are not typical as it is unusual for a monastery in Runcorn to own land so far away. The cloister at Norton Priory was used to educate young boys and used for writing evidence of this is bookcase into wall and also pens and writing materials were found. Norton Priory only has one Lady Chapel not two but saying this there are two possible places where there could have been. The Lady Chapel is dedicated to Mary and is facing towards Jerusalem.

Chapel is where. This chapel appears to have been the burial place of Lawrence Dutton family. The original view of the function of the Eastern Chapel was that it was a Lady Chapel but it's now believed that the Lady Chapel was where the Dutton's were buried. The Eastern Chapel may have been intended to provide a suitable setting for the holy cross. The warming room was situated above the dormitory. The chapter house has had an extension due to the old one being to small.

Daily Life Original order of the monks were Benedictines- Monks who followed the rules of St Benedict. At Norton Priory the monks were Augustinians and they followed the rules of St Augustine of Hippo. Comparing the monks at Norton Priory to the Cistercians I can see that the Cistercian All monks follow the rule, however these have different variations depending on the order. These monks had to be full priest to enter the order. This meant unlike other orders they were allowed out of the monastery to conduct services in local parishes. All monks made vows three were non-negotiable, chastity is not to have relations with the opposite sex, poverty is you vow to give up your possessions and goods.

The vow of obedience means you will have to obey all your vows or God will punish you. Daily timetable in the Abbey Daily life in Abbey 1 am- Vigils, matins and lauds in church. Return to bed using night stairs. 6 am- Prime in church followed by High Mass 7 am- Reading in cloister followed by change from warm night shoes to day shoes in dorter, using day stairs, and wash in cloister. 8 am- Tierce in church followed by Mass attended by villagers or guests. 9 am- Chapter meeting in chapter house attended by members of abbey only, excluding novices.

10 am- Work. Noon- Sext in church. 1 pm- Dinner in refectory. 2 pm- Nones in church. 3 pm- Study or work. 5 pm- Vespers in church and day shoes changed for night shoes in dorter.

5.30 pm- Light supper in refectory. 6 pm- Compline in church. 6.30 pm- Bed in dorter. Compared to a day in the life of an Augustinian canon at Norton the following is the day in the life of an Augustinian canon at Bolton Abbey: . Midnight - Matins and Lauds.

Sleep in the dorter (dormitory). Daybreak - Prime, followed by Morning Mass, private Masses and confessions. Chapter Meeting in the Chapter House. About 8 am - Terce followed by High Mass. About 11.30 am - Sext. Noon - Dinner in the Refectory.

About 2.30 pm - None. Wash and drink, followed by work. Sunset - Vespers or Evensong. followed by Supper. About 8 pm - Compline. Retire to the dorter to rest Comparing and contrasting monasteries The difficulties in comparing and contrasting monastery sites are they are all unique and they all have qualities. A typical north aisle is found at Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire.

Norton Priory is similar to Bolton Abbey as they both have a community of Augustinian canons. Compared to the purpose of the Cloister at Norton the construction of the Cloister of Bolton Abbey began before 1200. A small open area enclosed by the walls of surrounding buildings, and skirted by a covered walkway, the Cloister was used by the canons for reading and meditation between the frequent summons of the bell calling them into prayer. Canons who had no other duties were required to spend their time in the Cloister in study and contemplation.

A holy water stoup was set into the wall near the entrance to the Church, to permit canons to make the sign of the cross on his forehead, lips and heart before entering to show his desire for a pure mind, tongue and heart in his worship of God. The central area of the Cloister provided a sheltered space to grow herbs and some vegetables in even the harshest winter months Another monastery I researched was Chester Cathedral. Below is a table charting the similarities between Chester Cathedral and Norton Priory. Similarities Differences They both have naves Refectory on other side They both have lady chapels Cruciform on different side The cloister is in the same place They have different shaped cloisters The undercroft is in the same place Church on opposite side of where expected All the monks took vows of St Benedict which were: 1. To obey the commands of the abbot 2. Never to marry 3.

Share all their belongings The most important service was the mass. Locals used the nave of Chester cathedral for worship. Several small chapels were separated for worship of God. Conclusion Norton Priory is a typical Abbey as many features of Norton are typical. Compared to other monasteries such as Bolton Abbey and Chester Cathedral Norton Priory flourished for four centuries and the Augustinian canons enjoyed a good relationship with the locals.

Typical features included the undercroft which was typical as the extension was fairly typical and the rood screen was a typical feature of Norton as you would expect the rood screen to be where it is. 1600 words Norton Priory Coursework.