|
|
HOW DO THESE ITERPRETATIONS HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE ABBOTS AT DURHAM DURING THE MIDDLE AGES? Source one and two give me the impression that the role of the abbot was very important. They had too look after the welfare of the monastery and the monks.” He was to be the father of all the monks”, and everyday the abbot called the monks together in a council or chapter, as it was called “to settle the business of the monastery” In both sources they show that religion was very important in abbots life, but when I studied sources three and four I discovered that the roll of an abbot had changed now the abbot seemed more interested in entertaining guests, and becoming rich. In other words the rolls had changed from being religious to economical and political. The people in sources three and four were more bothered about power and wealth and starting to ignore god. They were starting to think more about themselves than the welfare of the other monks,” The accounts show that £300 was spent on this building ….the priors house included a chapel, the priors hall, his upper chamber and his lower chamber (bedrooms), a wine cellar buttery and wardrobe.
|
