Nunneries and Abbeys in the Medieval World

A Brief Overview

The concept of nuns is not a new one in today's society, but the existence of nuns dates back centuries. 

As defined by Jean Sorabella, Christian nuns are women who devote themselves to the church and elect to live a life of individualism and service to God (2). This is the same now as it was in the medieval time period. However, the conditions were far more orderly and the amount of nuns more abundant during medieval times. Nuns typically wore plain clothes and spent their days attending prayers and other religious services according to Mark Cartwright (1). They were devoted to God, so flashy dress and activities not in the service of God or his children were frowned upon. Nunnery in the medieval time period was a fascinating and devoted practice with roots almost everywhere. 

Abbeys

Nuns during the medieval time period typically lived in places called abbeys. Cartwright delves into the usage of abbeys farther. Separate from the monasteries that housed their male counterparts, abbeys served as a place for nuns to reside and a refuge for young women looking to be enlightened or even possibly become a nun (1). During this time, rich women only had two options: get married or become a nun. The women who could or would not get married were sent to abbeys to devote themselves to God and still uphold their family's reputation (1). So, abbeys became a sort of refuge or savior for some women. 

(5) A medieval abbey

The architecture of an abbey is almost the same as a male monastery. The only two differences were the nun's abbeys being, according to Cartwright, "laid out in a mirrored image" and including additional rooms for travelers (1). These additional rooms were not common in male monasteries because they were not expected to invite or help people the way nuns were. The males often lived lives of solitude while the women, although still secure in their own abbeys, would invite people inside their home and aid citizens in nearby villages (1). This became a common practice and almost expectation for nuns during this time. Essentially, the abbeys were a refuge for all.

Becoming a Nun

As mentioned above, women from the richer sector would choose nunnery over getting married or disgracing their family by never marrying. Cartwright mentions that many had often gone to nunneries during their teenage years to get the only education attainable for women during the medieval period (1). Nunneries provided education for women in a world where other schools did not. As far as requirements go, Cartwright asserts that virginity was a must at one point. All nuns had to be pure and untouched, therefore virgins. Later on, however, the church began to see value in the knowledge married and widowed women provided (1). Spiritual purity was very important in medieval times, especially regarding the church, and virginity was a major part of that. Medieval Chronicles states that there were two other important requirements: "poverty" and "obedience" (3). Following the rules of the church and living off of only the things you absolutely needed were important in showing your devotion as a medieval nun. 

(6) Medieval nuns

The Benedictine Order

Typically, both medieval nuns and monks practiced religion under a certain decree. Medieval Chronicles states the most common one was, "the Benedictine Order which was established by St. Benedict in 529 AD" (3). There are many interpretations of the rules of the Benedictine Order. The most common are "obedience to the superior, stability... [and] changing the way one lives" according to Durham World Heritage Site (4). All medieval nuns were expected to follow and uphold these rules in order to remain a nun and stay in the service of both the church and God. 

Life As a Nun

The daily life of a nun was mostly monotonous, every day spent in service in some way. Medieval Chronicles illustrates this further. "Prayer and meditation" were the two most common things a nun could be caught doing on the daily (3). Those two things were expected of them since they were devoted to God. They also spent their days doing chores like "washing and cooking and procuring vegetables and grains for cooking" (3). They ran their own household, so chores like this were necessary to keep the abbey up and running. Nuns also taught people locally and tended to their physical wounds when needed (3). Protecting and servicing God's children was an integral part of the duty of a nun. If nuns had any spare time leftover, they would also "indulge in weaving and embroidery" (3). 

Nuns lived very dutiful and purposeful lives and were, for the most part, respected for their devotion. They were women of God and spent their lives in service to him. A fun, helpful video for more information on medieval nuns and monks can be found here.

Works Cited

(1) Cartwright, Mark. "The Daily Life of Medieval Nuns." World History Encyclopedia. 19, Dec. 2018, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1298/the-daily-life-of-medieval-nuns/#google_vignette.

(2) Sorabella, Jean. "Monasticism in Western Medieval Europe." The Met. March 2013, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mona/hd_mona.htm.

(3) "Medieval Nuns." Medieval Chronicles. 2023, https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-people/medieval-clergy/medieval-nuns/.

(4) "The Defining Features of the Benedictine Order." Durham World Heritage Site. 2023, https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/learn/history/benedictine-order/definition.

(5) "Cloister of Lacock Abbey, England." Dillif (CC BY-SA). 

(6) "Saint Clare, the founder of the Poor Clares, with another franciscan nun-saint." Danviken Hospital/Wikimedia Commons.