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THE ENGLISH HOUSEHOLD CHAPEL, C. 1100 - c. 1500: AN INSTITUTIONAL STUDY KENT RAWLINSON The copyright of this thesis rests with the author or the university to which it was submitted. No quotation from it, or information derived from it may be published, without the prior written consent of the author or university, and any information derived from it should be acknowledged. A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM ST. CHAD'S COLLEGE 2008 - 6 JUN 2008 TITLE The English Household Chapel, c. 1100 - c. 1500: An Institutional Study CANDIDATE Kent Rawlinson, St. Chad's College, University of Durham DEGREE & DATE Ph.D., 2008 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the English medieval household chapel. Such chapels have only been studied previously in a partial and disjointed manner, as 'private', 'domestic' or 'castle' chapels, to name some categories. Past scholarship has assumed them to be maintained in an ad hoc manner, as the extraordinary consequence of individual piety, or the desire for social display. Instead, this thesis defines, for the first time, a discrete class of chapels based upon their primary function: the religious provision of medieval lordly households. It argues that individual households were instances of a wide-ranging and well- established ecclesiastical institution: 'the household chapel'. It posits that this institution had five principal elements: a basis in canon law; systems of maintenance and regulation; personnel (household chaplains); architectural and material expressions (household-chapel buildings and furnishings); and domestic religious routines. It argues that these elements were common to most household chapels between c. 1100 and c. 1500 (up to the English Reformation). Although aspects of these elements have received scholarly attention, none has been examined from an institutional perspective. This thesis focuses primarily upon two: the canonical basis of the household chapel; and methods of establishment, maintenance and regulation. It argues that the household chapel possessed a clear remit in canon law, which enabled the widespread and uncontentious maintenance of such chapels; and that this canonical character was shaped in parallel with that of the English parish (and in some respects pre-dated its formation). This thesis also demonstrates that household chapels were maintained in an institutional manner, by the receipt of chapel grants, episcopal licences and papal privileges. Close examination of these demonstrates that household chapels were maintained on a large scale - by the majority of greater and gentle households - throughout this period, and that this maintenance was actively facilitated and supported by the contemporary ecclesiastical hierarchy. Alongside other classes of chapel (as yet unstudied), household chapels were a ubiquitous element of the English medieval church. This examination of the canonical and regulatory foundations of the household chapel establishes a framework within which chapel buildings, chaplains and domestic religious routines may be further studied, in an interdisciplinary manner, as elements of one institution. For instance, the disposition and form of some 250-350 extant chapel buildings must be considered in light of their institutional functions. Finally, this thesis challenges the scholarly assumption that household chapels were maintained either for the spiritual satisfaction of individual lords, or as a form of social display. Rather, it argues that the household chapel, as an institution, was a necessary and ubiquitous means of enabling the orthodox religious provision of greater and gentle medieval households who could not, for a variety of reasons, be served by the medieval parish, or fully belong to its communities. For he had already heard of the Christian religion, having a Christian wife of the Frankish royal house named Bertha, whom he received from her parents on the condition that she should have freedom to hold and practise her faith unhindered with Bishop Liudhard, whom they had sent as her helper in faith. ... On the east side of the city stood an old church, built in honour of Saint Martin during the Roman occupation of Britain, where the Christian queen of whom I have spoken went to pray. Sherley-Price, L., and Latham, R.E. (eds.), Ecclesiastical Histoiy of the English People (London, Revised Ed., 1990), pp. 75-76. Now let us speak of the young James earl of Douglas, who did marvels in arms or he was beaten down ... And by him was a gentle knight of his, who followed him all the day, and a chaplain of his, not like a priest but like a valiant man of arms, for all that night he followed the earl with a good axe in his hands and still scrimmished about the earl there as he lay, and reculed back some of the Englishmen with great strokes that he gave. Thus he was found fighting near to his master, whereby he had great praise, and thereby the same year he was made archdeacon of Aberdeen. This priest was called sir William of North Benvick: he was a tall man and a hardy and was sore hurt. Bourchier, J., and Macaulay, G.C. (eds.), The Chronicles ofFroissart (The Harvard Classics; New York, 1910), pp. 92-93 Amongst other vestiges of its original destination that the chapel still contained was an antique altar. Before this the youthful pair knelt, with the moon shining in upon them in full lustre, through the gorgeous window, beneath which the altar was placed, and which, partly composed of stained glass, still in perfect preservation, not withstanding the hundreds of years that had rolled by since the erection of the building, threw a rich tinge of various hues upon the old banners, images, and entablatures, that were scattered throughout the place. Dalton, R.M., The Castle Chapel. A Romantic Tale, 3 vols. (London, 1825), i, 191. On Palm Sunday 2002 George Bush and his entourage were flying home from El Salvador. Not wishing to miss church, they decided to improvise. Before long 40 worshippers were crammed into Air Force One's conference room. Condoleeza Rice, then National Security Adviser led the worship, Karen Hughes, then Mr Bush's counsellor, gave the lesson and the service ended with everybody singing "Amazing Grace " and hugging each other. 'Evangelicals in America. The Bond between God and Power', The Economist, 384:8543 (August 25th-31st 2007), p. 83. CONTENTS Acknowledgements 5 List of Abbreviations 6 List of Figures 9 Introduction The Medieval Household Chapel 11 Chapter I The Household Chapel in Medieval Canon Law 36 Chapter 2 Grants of the Right to Establish and Maintain Household 79 Chapels (c. 1100 - c. 1300) Chapter 3 Diocesan Regulation: Licencie Celebrandi (c. 1300 - c. 1500) 130 Chapter 4 Papal Privileges and the Maintenance of Household Chapels 185 Chapter 5 Disputes, Variety and'Free Chapels' 233 Conclusion The Institution of the Household Chapel (c. 1100 - c. 1500) 256 Appendix I Farnham's Statute, De capellis, for the Diocese of Durham 277 (1241 x 1249) Appendix II Ottobuono's Canon, De oblationibus capellarum (1268) 278 Appendix III Quinel's Statute, De ecclesiis, capellis, et oratoriis, for the 279 Diocese of Exeter (1287) Appendix IV Stratford's Statute, Quam sit inhonestum (1342) and 281 Lyndwood's Glosses upon it from his Provinciate (c. 1430) Appendix V Abbot Robert de Lurdinden's Grant to Reginald de Cornhill 288 (c. 1200) Figures 289 Bibliography 309 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Throughout the research and production of this thesis I have been blessed with the help and support of friends, colleagues and strangers too numerous to mention. First and foremost, thanks are due to my supervisors, Dr Margaret Harvey, Professor Richard Britnell and, latterly - but invaluably - Professor David Rollason. They have helped me chart my course, navigate my journey and make landfall. Much of value here is a result of their patient instruction and advice, whilst errors in fact or interpretation are mine alone. I am, in turn, grateful for all the encouragement and support I have received from other members of staff and colleagues in the History Department at Durham University and St. Chad's College, especially Anne Park. Over the past few years I have been welcomed into many private homes and generously permitted to photograph and examine the most remarkable chapel buildings. I am enormously grateful for the trust and kindness I experienced on these occasions from hosts too numerous to mention here individually. A unique debt of thanks is, however, owed to Lord Camoys and family who permitted me to attend mass in their chapel of Stonor Park (Oxfordshire), and who entertained me so warmly in that remarkable house. Many hours (or miles) of thanks are likewise due to those who untiringly drove, carried and chatted on these occasions, in particular James Kightly and Gerry Murphy. (James - how I miss the scarlet MG!) The support and advice of academic friends and colleagues has sustained my study. Large debts of gratitude are owed to Caroline Cliffe, Dr Helen Gittos, Dr Adrian Green and Gareth Mann, who have on many occassions discussed the material found here and helped me shape my arguments. Credit is also due to my colleagues at Historic Royal Palaces who have kindly tolerated my academic moon-lighting. Dr Lucy Worsley has shown great patience during the final stages of completion, whilst Dr Tom Betteridge, Dr Sally Dixon-Smith, Alden Gregory and Jane Spooner have been unique supports. There is no way to describe the debt I owe my parents - Fiona and Guy - for their tireless support, generosity and advice. This thesis is a poor reflection of a lifetime's loving education. Finally, praise is due to my partner, Mariam Rosser-Owen, who has been forced to live with these pages for too long, but who has patiently served - as abbatial chaplains were charged - as a witness, helper, and adviser in all my affairs.