Sunday, March 2, 2014

Anchorites at churches and elsewhere

Anchorites at churches and elsewhere

Niall C.E.J. O’Brien

Egypt and Gaul

    In the middle of the fourth century a holy man called Bgoul went out into the Western Desert of Egypt. There on a ridge of the Libyan chain he settled to live the life of an anchorite. His life of prayer and simple living attracted others to the place. Soon a monastery was established after the example of Pachomius.[1] Much later in medieval Ireland a female anchorite in Cork decided to follow the example set by Bgoul. After years as a recluse, in 1297 she established a convent for nuns.[2]

Bgoul died about 385 and was succeeded by his nephew called Schenoudi. This man of great zeal and iron will transformed the small monastery of about thirty monks into a great establishment with hundreds of monks. New buildings were built along with a large church. Later a convent for nuns was built for women wishing to live under the abbot’s rule. The community became known as the White Monastery or Deir-el-Abiad. 

Keeping the memory of his uncle alive, Schenoudi considered the anchorite tradition to be the highest form of asceticism. With this in mind he allowed fervent monks to go out and lead a anchorite life. The gardener of the monastery was to provide vegetables for his sustenance. Later the anchorites were allowed to return four times a year to spend a few days with the community. Sometimes Schenoudi would go on soldiery retreat. In his absence his harsh rules kept the monastery in check. But some monks and nuns rebelled against such conditions and left with licence or were expelled. Yet many appreciated his intentions and their names were written on a tablet after their death as a special honour to their memory. Schenoudi lived on until about 451 when he was said to be 118 years.[3]

St. Basil was later to discuss at length the idea of the anchorite life versus that of monastery living. He eventually came down on the side of monasticism as best but he did not think it wrong if a monk retired with permission to live as an anchorite. Later the Eastern Church came to regard cenobitism as a preparatory stage for the higher life of an anchorite. Two highly regarded Saints, Jerome and Evagrius, had experience both lives and had their doubts about an anchorite life as the high attainment.

Others less well known shared these doubts. An Egyptian monk called John became an anchorite. In the desert he was filled with heavenly thoughts and spiritual truths such that he forgot at eventide if he had already eaten that day or not. The rule of one meal a day served at eventide was a highly regarded rule and holy people endeavoured to keep it. The flow of visitors also began to disturb John’s peace. In the end he returned to the monastery as a cenobite for he said that he wished to live as a good coenobite rather than a bad anchorite.[4]

Further west the Gauls were more active than contemplative by nature. If some Egyptians found the anchorite life too hard, the Gaulish monks of Lérins and Lero found it more difficult. Yet on these Mediterranean islands with its acclaimed monastery the life of an anchorite was seen as a high honour.[5] The history of monasticism on the islands was much similar to that of the White Monastery in Egypt.

A young man in southern Gaul called Honoratus had set his thoughts in the religious life. He travelled to the Holy Land where he lost his brother and companion yet was disheartened. On returning home he set up residence near Frejus where he was helped by the local bishop. But Honoratus sought a quieter place and left for the island of Lero where he lived the anchorite life. And just like with Bgoul the people came out to the lonely place seeking answers to life. A monastery was established in about 397 which became famous. Honoratus went on to become bishop of Arles in 426.[6]

When Christianity and later monasticism came to Ireland many favoured the anchorite life. Abbots had difficulty enforcing discipline as monks desire to leave for a quiet place with or without permission.[7]

Anchorites in England


In the earlier part of this paper we saw an anchorite leaving solitude to become an abbot or bishop. Yet there were also occasions when a public figure left it all to become an anchorite. Following the synod of Whitby (664) the celebrated saint of Lindisfarne abbey, St. Cuthbert, was prior of that house. He was also a bishop of the Celtic church. But in 676 he left public life as he found it difficult to manage the abbey. He went to live on Farne Island. Despite being a celebrated saint, even as an anchorite, St. Cuthbert lived under the authority of an abbot. Like other anchorites before him, St. Cuthbert was not left alone. The king of Northumbria sent many delegations asking Cuthbert to come back to public life but to no avail. In 685 the king got a bishopric for St. Cuthbert with a seat at Lindisfarne. St. Cuthbert gave up his anchorite life but he retired a year later in poor health. He died in 687 on Farne Island.[8]

In later centuries anchorites and anchoresses continue to appear in the records. The most celebrated anchoress was Julian of Norwich who lived in the second half of the fourteenth century. This woman lived in a specially built cell in the church of St. Julian in Norwich. There she mediated and gave advice to those seeking help. She also wrote two books recounting her visions. An account of her life and work appears in this blog link. [Article link = http://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2014/02/14/julian-of-norwich-mystic-theologian-and-anchoress/]

Elsewhere we find in 1425, Thomas Dunham, rector of Little Torrington in the diocese of Exeter, made a number of bequests in his will. Apart from the usual gifts to religious houses and personal bequests, he gave support to seven bridges. Thomas then bequeathed 20 shillings to Alice, an anchorite in Exeter along with a book of sermons written in English.[9]

By his will of 1427 Roger Bachiler, rector of Churchstow, diocese of Exeter bequeathed 40d to the anchorite at Exeter and 6 shillings 8 pence to the anchorite at Wille.[10]

In his will of 1435 William Fylham, canon of Exeter, bequeathed three legal bread loafs to the anchorite cell by St. Leonard’s in Exeter.[11]

Sometimes an Irish saint would go to England to live an anchorite life. St. Cainnech was one such person. He went to live on the east side of the Grampian Mountains. As with other anchorites he was not left alone for long. Delegations were sent from Ireland calling St. Cainnech to come home. He eventually did leave. On the journey over the Grampians he saved a mother and daughter who suffered near death from a snow storm.[12]

Another Irish saint, St. Fursa founded a monastery near Lowestoft where one of his monks called Ultan (and also his brother) left to live an anchorite life. St. Fursa was excited by Ultan’s move that he too decided to become an anchorite and left the monastery to Ultan’s brother, Foilan. The two lived together for some time before St. Fursa was called out of retirement to help the king of East Anglia against an invasion. His assistance was unsuccessful and he left for France in around 644.[13]

The anchorite cell at Okyle church, Co. Waterford

Anchorites in medieval Ireland

    The early Irish church was organised into parishes under bishops as in mainland Europe but in a short time the whole organisation changed into that controlled by the great monasteries. The abbots of these chief houses controlled a group of smaller monasteries, single churches and anchorite cells.[14] 

Some anchorites lived in a small stone cell attached to a church. Here the anchorite could listen to the prayers and songs within the church and continue same along after the church was empty. To further help the anchorite in his heavenly thoughts, his predecessors lay buried beneath the floor of the cell and where he hoped to rest someday.

The small cell allowed visitors to come and consult the anchorite without disturbing him with human contact. It also helped the anchorite avoid the distractions of the outside world. To give assistance to the anchorite a Rule for Anchorites, Ordo Iclusorum, was published more than once. But this severe rule was not followed by all anchorites in medieval Ireland.[15]  

The early Irish annals and saint’s lives record a number of anchorites. Cenn-fáelad (died 821) was abbot of Trim, a scribe of that abbey and an anchorite. He additionally held the office of tánaise abbot at Clonard.[16] In the year 930 there died a certain Máel-Éoin, bishop and anchorite of Trim after living a good life.[17]

On 12 June 1244 a mandate was issued to the treasurer of Ireland to pay three half-pence a day to the anchorite living in the church of St. Mary de Dame, Dublin. This money was from the king’s alms and was for the maintenance of the anchorite. He was to further get 10 shillings per year for his clothing.[18]

In June 1250 Henry III issued a mandate to the treasurer of Ireland to have payment of the ancient alms of the king’s predecessors paid to the recluse of St. Mary de Dame. The recluse, who is mentioned as a female, was to also receive her wanted allowances.[19]

In the exchequer accounts for 1270-1272 the recluse of St. Mary de Dame got £4 11 shillings 4 pence to cover her alms for Michaelmas 1270 with the full year of 1271 and 1272. She further got 20 shillings for clothing.[20] In the exchequer accounts for 1274-1275 the recluse of St. Mary de Dame got 45 shillings 7 pence in alms at a rate of 1½d per day. She also got 10 shillings for a new robe.[21]

In the exchequer accounts for 1275-1276 the recluse of St. Mary de Dame got 55 shillings 7½ pence in the king’s alms. In the same account the doorkeeper of the exchequer received 47 shillings 9¾ pence while one hogshead of wine cost 60 shillings.[22] The recluse of St. Mary les Dames was still active in 1281. In that year she received 22 shillings 9 pence as her fee for the two terms of Easter and St. John the Baptist.[23] 

Sometime after this the recluse or anchoress died and affairs at the church of St. Mary les Dames suffered some deterioration in standards. In November 1296 the rector of the church, Master Luke, paid one mark to the exchequer for an unjust occupation of the king’s chapel.[24] In the papal taxation of around 1302 the church of St. Mary les Dames was valued at 8 marks with the tenth of 10 shillings 8 pence.[25]

Another female anchoress called Roesia de Nangle lived in Louth around 1300 and was possibly a member of the local Anglo-Irish family of that name.[26]

One of the best known anchorites in Ireland lived in a cell attached to St. Doulagh’s church, near Dublin.  Here he led a life of prayer while employing a proctor to travel the country collection alms for his maintenance.[27] 

Other churches with attached anchorite cells for which we have little other information are at Okyle and Kilronan in County Waterford. See an extended article on Okyle church with this link. [Article link = http://celtic2realms-medievalnews.blogspot.ie/2014/02/okyle-parish-church-and-people-in.html]

In 1434 an anchorite called Thomas Scrope of Norwich was so well respected that he was asked to join the Carmelite Order and was later appointed bishop of Dromore.[28]

The last anchorite in Ireland lived at Fore, in County Westmeath, in 1682. Like the anchorite at St. Doulagh’s he employed a proctor to seek alms. This proctor was very good at his job and the anchorite lived a good life in his small cell.[29]

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[1] Rev. John Ryan, Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development (Talbot Press, Dublin, 1931), p. 39
[2] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day, edited by Walter A. Phillips (Oxford University Press, 1934), vol. 2, p. 164
[3] Rev. John Ryan, Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development (Talbot Press, Dublin, 1931), pp. 39-41
[4] Rev. John Ryan, Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development, pp. 257-9
[5] Rev. John Ryan, Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development, p. 260
[6] Rev. J.E.L. Oulton, ‘The church of Gaul’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips (Oxford University Press, 1933), vol. 1, p. 23
[7] Rev. John Ryan, Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development, p. 260
[8] A.E. Redgate, ‘St. Cuthbert’, in The Oxford companion to British history, edited by John Cannon (Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 270; Rev. J.L. Gough, ‘Constitution and character of the Irish church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 1, p. 141; Rev. J.L. Gough, ‘The mission work and expansion of Celtic Christianity’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 1, p. 326
[9] G.R. Dunstan (ed.), The Register of Edmund Lacy bishop of Exeter, 1420-1455, Registrum Commune, volume 4 (Devon and Cornwall Record Society, New Series, vol. 16, 1971), vol. IV, pp. 3, 4
[10] G.R. Dunstan (ed.), The Register of Edmund Lacy bishop of Exeter, 1420-1455, Registrum Commune, volume 4 (Devon and Cornwall Record Society, New Series, vol. 16, 1971), vol. IV, p. 7
[11] G.R. Dunstan (ed.), The Register of Edmund Lacy bishop of Exeter, 1420-1455, vol. IV, p. 32
[12] Rev. J.L. Gough, ‘The mission work and expansion of Celtic Christianity’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 1, p. 243
[13] Rev. J.L. Gough, ‘The mission work and expansion of Celtic Christianity’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 1, p. 272
[14] Rev. J.L. Gough, ‘Constitution and character of the Irish church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 1, p. 158
[15] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 2, p. 163
[16] Michael Potterton, Medieval Trim: History and Archaeology (Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2005), p. 56
[17] Michael Potterton, Medieval Trim: History and Archaeology, p. 57
[18] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland (5 vols. Kraus-Thomson, Liechtenstein, 1974), vol. 1 (1171-1251), no. 2692
[19] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 1 (1171-1251), no. 3058
[20] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), p. 150
[21] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), p. 181
[22] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), pp. 236, 239
[23] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), p. 386
[24] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 4 (1293-1301), p. 154
[25] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 5 (1302-1307), p. 238
[26] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 2, p. 164
[27] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 2, p. 163
[28] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 2, p. 164
[29] Ven. Archdeacon Seymour, ‘Sidelights on the medieval church’, in the History of the Church of Ireland, edited by Walter A. Phillips, vol. 2, p. 164

2 comments:

  1. Very interesting Niall. And thank you for including the link.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan - those links save a lot of one finger typing!

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