As in medieval England and Europe, Welsh monasticism flourished and contributed to the development of a vibrant culture. Some aspects of monastic life, however, have received little attention from scholars. Historical developments and the relationship with England and the role of the Cistercians, for example, have been researched by historians, but other important aspects have remained in the shadows. For a proper appreciation of monasticism, it should not be studied in isolation from the larger society. Politics and religion are important, but an interdisciplinary approach opens new vistas to an appreciation of Welsh monastic life. The editors of these fifteen scholarly and insightful essays, Janet Burton and Karen Stöber, acknowledge the diversity of monasticism in Wales, and note that “this volume, accordingly, is about how monasteries engaged in the social, economic and political landscape of Wales and about how they were formative in shaping the history of Wales and Welsh culture” (xviii).

This collection of essays grew out of a 2009 conference at Aberystwyth which inaugurated “Monastic Wales,” a research project devoted to making available to scholars and the general public the rich and diverse history of monasticism in Wales. Without ignoring Welsh monastic church life before 1066, the topics in this book cover the period from changes in monasticism brought about by the Norman Conquest, to the Dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. After an introduction which clearly outlines the purpose of this book, the editors have arranged the subjects into four complementary sections: “Foundation, Tradition and Transformation,” “State Building, Authority and Power,” “Movement and Social Interaction,” and “Cultural Identity and Production.” Numerous illustrations and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources are important aspects of this “new approach” to monastic life in medieval Wales.

The goal of this book is ambitious, but the editors have succeeded in demonstrating the contributions of medieval monasticism on a wide range of Welsh society. The first section gives an insight into the important developments after the Norman Conquest. After an introduction to the Strata Florida Project, the significance of the Benedictines and Augustinians in medieval Wales is discussed, and this is followed by a chapter which investigates the complex relationship between religious houses and urban centers. These essays show aspects of the continuity of monastic life following 1066, but also identify elements of change. In part 2, grants to Strata Florida Abbey and governance in Gwynedd and Powys, both essays rich in detail, and the practice of internment of laity within monastic precincts, an area which has not attracted much scholarship, reveal important aspects of Welsh religious life and the close connection between the monasteries and society. Monastic burial customs, in particular, provide the reader with an appreciation of the relationship between the religious communities and its lay benefactors.

The last two sections of this book discuss aspects of medieval Welsh monastic life which deal with social interactions and cultural identity. The long history of pilgrimages to monastic sites, the necessity of monks travelling outside of the cloister, and the importance of hospitality are well known subjects, and the authors place these activities within the context of medieval Welsh monasticism. These religious communities were not isolated and did have and did interact with societies beyond their borders, as the essay dealing with Wales and Ireland demonstrates. The inclusion of an essay on the Knights Hospitaller might surprise some, but the author argues that this military organization can be classified as a religious order and then goes on to show that it did perform valuable services in Wales and Europe. The editors should be congratulated on the choice of two articles which illuminate other aspects of monastic life in Wales. Dafydd Johnston's essay on the monastic patronage of Welsh poetry contains examples of poems in Welsh, which are accompanied with English translations, and the other examines the diversity of manuscripts in monastic libraries and concludes with the author's statement that additional research in this area is needed. Convents were not as numerous as monasteries, and Jane Cartwright's the essay dealing with a poem which requests a pet ape as a gift for Abbess Annes might initially cause some to smile, but it does give us a glimpse of the practice of keeping pets and accepting expensive gifts. St. Benedict's Rule legislates for the monks' sleeping quarters, and the final essay, written by Anne Müller, explores the practical and symbolic layout of the Welsh Cistercian dormitories. Current members of religious orders and the laity will enjoy this essay.

This is an important book both in respect to methodology and content. These interdisciplinary essays are exceptionally well researched and presented in a manner which will appeal to scholars and to anyone interested in monastic and medieval Welsh history. Some delve deeply into a topic and present detailed evidence, but this does not obscure the main arguments of the essay. This book avoids two pitfalls often associated with a collection of essays on a specific subject. Repetition is minimal, and the authors avoid the temptation of insularity by demonstrating the relationship between Wales and monastic culture in England and Europe. Moreover, the influence of monasticism on numerous aspects of medieval Wales presents a better understanding of both the monastic houses and their valuable contributions to Welsh culture. This noteworthy book will add to our appreciation and understanding of monastic life in medieval Wales.