medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Jim Bugslag wrote:
>
>> for those interested in gendered space, you might
>> also look at Roberta Gilchrist, Gender and Material Culture: the
>> Archaeology of Religious Women (London: Routledge, 1994)
>
> This book offers a detailed "iconography" of north-south directions,
> based on the author's finding that something like 35% of cloisters in
> English monasteries for women were on the north side of the church,
> as opposed to the "old chestnut" that most cloisters in men's houses
> were on the south side. In fact, the percentage of cloisters on the
> north in English monasteries for men (at least among Benedictine
> houses) was virtually the same. Her conclusions should thus be used
> with some caution.
Yes, the reason for the siting of the cloister is almost completely
determined by the geography of the site. The provision of water to the
claustral complex, for the kitchen and flushing the reredorter (in that
order!) was the overriding concern. There would be a preference for the
south side to catch the sun, but that was very often not possible.
John Briggs
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