Bernhard Zeller

Steffen Patzold

Charles West

Wendy Davies

Francesca Tinti

Thomas Kohl

Carine van Rhijn

Marco Stoffella

Nicolas Schroeder

Miriam Czock

This book explores social cohesion in rural settlements in western Europe from 700–1050, asking to what extent settlements, or districts, constituted units of social organisation. It focuses on the interactions, interconnections and networks of people who lived side by side – neighbours. Drawing evidence from most of the current western European countries, the book plots and interrogates the very different practices of this wide range of regions in a systematically comparative framework. It considers the variety of local responses to the supra-local agents of landlords and rulers and the impact, such as it was, of those agents on the small-scale residential group. It also assesses the impact on local societies of the values, instructions and demands of the wider literate world of Christianity, as delivered by local priests.

Local societies in early medieval Europe

Neighbours and strangers

This book reconstructs the late Anglo-Saxon history of the church of Worcester, covering the period between Bishops Wærferth and Wulfstan II. Starting with an examination of the episcopal succession and the relations between bishops and cathedral community, the volume moves on to consider the development of the church of Worcester's landed estate, its extension, organization and pastoral care. In so doing the book offers a detailed picture of the main occupations (and preoccupations) of the late Anglo-Saxon church of Worcester in its interaction with society at large.

The Church of Worcester from C. 870 to C. 1100

Sustaining Belief

This publication explores the interactions between the inhabitants of early medieval England and their contemporaries in continental Europe. Starting with a brief excursus on previous treatments of the topic, the discussion then focuses on Anglo-Saxon geographical perceptions and representations of Europe and of Britain's place in it, before moving on to explore relations with Rome, dynasties and diplomacy, religious missions and monasticism, travel, trade and warfare. This Element demonstrates that the Anglo-Saxons' relations with the continent had a major impact on the shaping of their political, economic, religious and cultural life.

Europe and the Anglo-Saxons

This book reconstructs the late Anglo-Saxon history of the church of Worcester, covering the period between Bishops Waerferth and Wulfstan II. Starting with an examination of the episcopal succession and the relations between bishops and cathedral community, the volume moves on to consider the development of the church of Worcester's landed estate, its extent and its organization. These are analysed in connection with the very significant measures taken in the eleventh century to preserve - and sometimes manipulate - the memory of past land transactions. Of paramount importance among such measures was the production of two cartularies - Liber Wigorniensis and Hemming's cartulary - respectively compiled at the beginning and at the very end of the eleventh century. Last but not least, the volume considers ecclesiastical organization and pastoral care in the diocese of Worcester, by looking at the relations between the cathedral church and the other churches in the diocese. Special attention is given to the payment of church dues and to such aspects of pastoral care as preaching, penance and visitation of the sick. Thanks to the combined analysis of these areas, the book offers a detailed picture of the main occupations (and preoccupations) of the late Anglo-Saxon church of Worcester in its interaction with society at large: from its tenants to its faithful, from the clergy in its diocese to its opponents in land disputes.

The Church of Worcester from c.870 to c.1100

This volume explores the special connection that linked England and Rome between the seventh and the eleventh centuries, a topic which in spite of its relevance and attraction has never before been dealt with in a publication of this scale and depth. By bringing together scholars from different countries and disciplines and by relying on important recent archaeological findings that have led to a firmer knowledge of early medieval Rome, the volume provides a detailed and integrated investigation of the ways in which contacts between England and the Eternal City developed across the early Middle Ages. With special attention to major themes such as pilgrimage, artistic exchange, and ecclesiastical politics, the essays in this volume show the continuity of the Anglo-Saxons' relations with Rome as well as the ways in which, over time, these adapted to different circumstances. They also show that Anglo-Saxon England should not be thought of as just a passive recipient of influential cultural trends, but rather as an important player in the multi-faceted world of early medieval Europe in which Rome, by now the city of the popes, kept its centrality as a source of spiritual and political power.

Francesca Tinti

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