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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture From: Anne Willis <[log in to unmask]> >The earliest evidence of Christianity in the Bradford area is the early 4th century baptistery excavated at the Roman Villa at St Lawrence School in 2003. See > http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/archaeology-service/recent-archaeological-finds/bradford-on-avon-roman-villa.htm >The villa seems to have been the centre of a large estate. yes [or, maybe], as i understand it, there are at least two meanings historical of the term (before the present one, which means, essentially, "A grand & luxurious house on the French Riviera belonging to a deposed African kleptocrat" or American bankster): 1) the ancient Roman sense of a "country estate" b) the medieval sense of a country "estate," with compactly arranged dwellings and farm buildings, occasionally within walls (esp. in the 11th and early 12th cc.), surrounded by farmland, but not necessarily (originally) having a church (which would make it, in my mind, a "village"). i have sometimes (though rarely) seen the English word "vil" used, though this is apparently not recognized by the frumpy ole OED. thus, your Roman era "villa" is quite different from (though perhaps the institutional forerunner of) the medieval [Latin] _villa_. > There is currently no further evidence of Christianity in the area until the foundation of a monastery by Aldhelm in the 7th century. Stonework in the Saxon church has been dated to this time. The monastery may well have developed into a Minster o.k., now hold it... >and then a large parish which approximately covered the area of the Roman estate. *that* tears it. lessee, can i get this straight: "monastery" --> "minster" --> "parish church" which one of those words don't i understand? how about "minster"? MINSTER, n. †1. A monastery; a Christian religious house. Obs. 2. a. The church of a monastery; a church having its origin in a monastic establishment. More generally: any large or important church, esp. a collegiate or cathedral church. so, someone needs to 'splain to me (preferably in words of one syllable) how a "monastery may well have developed into a Minster." then, how the [institutionally much more sophisticated?] "monastery/Minster" (whateverthehell that might mean) morphed into "a large parish" --with seven daughters, no less. by some sort of Marriage of Convenience, perhaps? and someone here has the cajones to claim that the "French practice" is difficult to understand? gimmea brake. > I can see no reason why Bradford should have conformed to a French model. how about for "simplicity"? c ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html