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Medieval Monasteries Facts & Worksheets

Medieval Monasteries were considered the most powerful and wealthiest institutions in the medieval age.

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Medieval Monasteries were usually situated in remote areas where monks and nuns could fully devote themselves to worshipping God. Monasteries were considered the most powerful and wealthiest institutions in the medieval age.

See the fact file below for more information on Medieval Monasteries or alternatively, you can download our 35-page Medieval Monasteries worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Monasteries

  • The word monastery came from the Greek word ‘monastērion’ which means ‘a place to live alone’.
  • A monastery is a complex building occupied by monks and nuns who focused and spent their time on religious activities.
  • Monasteries were self-sustained by monks and nuns who lived a simple life.
  • There was no need for the inhabitants of the monasteries to go outside because they grew their own food and made their clothes.
  • Monasteries were said to be wealthier than medieval kings.
  • Monasteries generated money through donations, tithes, payments for baptism, weddings, and deaths.
  • Sometimes, donations were in the form of land or property.
  • Some monasteries sold their crops and crafts, and some rented out their lands.
  • The earliest Christian monasteries originated in Egypt and Syria around the 4th century. 
  • Christians chose to live as hermits because they believed they could understand and develop a deeper relationship with God without material distractions.
  • One of the earliest Christian monasteries was founded in the 4th century by St. Pachomius, an Egyptian who was also a former soldier.
  • He believed that the monks should live together and was the first to compile and layout rules on how to run a monastery. 
  • In the 5th century, monasteries began to spread around Western Europe.
  • St. Benedict of Nursia, who built a monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy, also set rules on how monasteries should work; his ideas became the standard of the earliest monasteries in Western Europe.

Orders

  • Various orders of monks and nuns developed depending on how they practiced their religion and how strictly they observed the rules.
  • Some significant orders include:

Benedictine

  • This order was founded by St. Benedict and was considered the dominant order from the ninth century.
  • Members lived their lives based on the Rule of St. Benedict.
  • Abbeys were a place of learning where abbots ruled each monastery.
  • They often wore black robes, so were frequently referred to as the Black Monks.

Cluniacs

  • This reformed order of Benedictines was founded by William the Pious at Cluny Abbey.
  • Everything was centralized with the Cluniacs, and the abbot of Cluny had control over the entire monastery.
  • Noble people donated land as their tithes.
  • Monks wore more expensive clothing compared with the others. 
  • Their monasteries were built extravagantly.
  • They focused their service on the poor and homeless.

Cistercians

  • This was also a reformed Benedictine order founded by Robert Molesme at Citeaux Abbey in France around 1098.
  • Cistercians lived a simple life.
  • They were known as the White Monks due to their undyed-wool clothes.
  • The architecture of their monasteries was plainly designed with white walls and no ornaments.

Carthusians

  • St. Bruno of Cologne founded this order in 1085 and monks followed the Benedictine Rule more strictly.
  • Monks had their own cells, and although they met up, they didn’t speak much and worked alone in silence.
  • They also fasted most of the time.
  • Their monasteries were called charterhouses.

Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Nuns and monks were devoted to praying, worshipping, and carrying out services to the abbey.
  • After their devotion, they would occupy themselves by doing chores such as farming, cooking, and laundering.
  • Some monks read texts, copied manuscripts, made books, and taught new and young monks.
  • Monks as young as five were called oblates, while those aged 15 and over were called novices.

Inside the Monasteries

  • Upon entering the monasteries, monks took vows to dedicate their entire life to worship and give up the material things an outside life could offer.
  • The abbot was the highest authority and oversaw the abbey or monastery.
  • He was assisted by a prior, the second in charge.
  • Obedientiary or senior monks were responsible for specific daily duties. 
  • Some monks were lectors and responsible for reading the lessons in church, sacrists who were in charge of safekeeping books, and cantors who led the choir.
  • Inside the monasteries, there were monks who were hostellers to welcome guests, cellarers in charge of the baking and brewhouse, kitcheners for kitchen tasks, almoners who attended to the needs of the poor, chamberlains who were responsible for clothing and beds, precentors who arranged the church services, and infirmarians who were in control of the infirmary.
  • Some orders preferred to have lay brothers or those not yet full monks do the physical labor so other monks could devote all their time to praying.
  • There were more positions in the medieval monasteries depending on the kind of monastery.

Other Purposes of Monasteries

  • Monasteries were not only places for worship.
  • Certain monasteries, especially those with large structures, were helpful to the community.
  • Here, monks and nuns fed the poor, housed the homeless, took care of the sick, provided education, and sometimes, served as inns to passing travelers. 

Architecture

The usual layout of a medieval monastery included:

  • Church
    • The place where monks spent most of their time praying and worshipping.
  • Cloister
    • Considered the heart of the monastery it was built around a garden.
    • It is a place where monks could freely take a walk and talk with each other.
    • This area was exclusive to the monks, and no other people could enter without permission.
  • Dormitory
    • Often called a dorter, it was the place where the monks rested and slept.
  • Chapter House
    • Where meetings usually took place.
  • Refectory
    • Where monks ate together.
  • Library 
    • Where important manuscripts and books of the monasteries were safely kept.
  • Kitchen
    • Usually located separately from other buildings to avoid the risk of fire.
  • Infirmary
    • Where the sick were treated.
  • Garden and Farm
    • Crops were planted and harvested here, including herbs and medicinal plants.

Famous Medieval Monasteries

Monte Cassino Abbey in Italy

  • This was the first monastery under the Benedectine Order and was rebuilt and renovated several times.

St. Catherine Monastery in Mount Sinai, Egypt

  • This was one of the world’s oldest existing monasteries.

Alcobaca Monastery in Alcobaca, Portugal

  • It was one of the first buildings in Portugal associated with the Cistercian Order.

Cluny Abbey in Cluny, France

  • A monastery founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine that strictly followed the Rule of St. Benedict.

Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, England

  • This Benedictine monastery is known as one of the most significant religious places dating from the Anglo-Saxon era.

Dissolution of the Medieval Monasteries

  • When Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine Aragon was not granted by the pope, he broke away from the Catholic Church and brought about the English Reformation.
  • A bill on the Dissolution of the Monasteries was approved.
  • This had an impact on the people, especially those who depended on the monasteries.
  • The smaller monasteries consisting of only 12 or fewer members with an income of about £200, were all dissolved.
  • During this time, there were about 399 smaller monasteries dissolved and about 67 which were about to close but paid a large amount to remain.
  • Senior monks, abbots, and priors were paid a large sum of their pensions.
  • The Pilgrimage of Grace, a series of rebellions by the religious officials and commoners, occurred to show opposition to the dissolution.
  • Despite those against Henry VIII’s actions, some supported his decision.
  • The nobles were able to get an equal share of the Church lands and wealth.
  • Several commoners were glad to have the corrupt religious officers removed from their positions.
  • After the rebellions, Henry VIII was more cautious in handling the dissolution of the larger monasteries.
  • The abbots and monks who strongly opposed him were brought together and hanged, and anyone else who rejected his policies was also executed.
  • From the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII gathered about £1.3 million, which was wasted on foreign wars and several building projects.
  • Several religious people were forced to find alternative work, and with abbots gone, laymen led the House of Lords.
  • Communities were affected as monasteries were institutions that provided education, and healthcare and gave alms to the poor.

Medieval Monasteries Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Medieval Monasteries across 35 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Medieval Monasteries which were very rich in tradition.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Medieval Monasteries Facts
  • Complete Me
  • Connect
  • Truth or Lie
  • Choose Right
  • What’s the Order?
  • Roles
  • Where Is This?
  • Match the Person
  • My Routine
  • Let’s Go!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the monastery known for?

A monastery is a religious community of monks or nuns. They typically live under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Most monasteries have a place for prayer, like a chapel, church, or temple. Some monasteries also serve as oratory or housing complexes.

How did medieval monasteries make money?

Families had to pay money to the Church in order to do things like get baptized, get married, or have a funeral. Furthermore, every single year each family needed to give 10% of their yearly earnings to the Church – this is known as tithes. Consequently, the Church became very rich and powerful because of all the money they were given. They acquired different pieces of land and built monasteries in those areas.

Who rules a monastery?

The abbot is the one who has the power to run the monastery. The chapter of monks gets together and votes for a new abbot using a secret ballot. The person they choose must be at least 30 years old, ordained as a priest, and have 10 years of the profession under his belt.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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