The Customary of the Shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral
Latin Text and Translation
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Arc Humanities Press
Published:31st Aug '22
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£24.95(9781802702460)
The shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral was one of the most popular pilgrim destinations in medieval Europe, as well as the focal point for the liturgy of the cathedral’s monastic community. In 1428 the keepers of the shrine composed a customary detailing its day-to-day operation, including the opening hours, decoration, maintenance, and staffing. This unique survival offers a rare glimpse into the realities of organizing a pilgrimage site in a major medieval church, and the Latin text with facing English translation is provided for the first time. A comprehensive introduction and extensive notes set the Customary within the context of the cathedral, its liturgy, and pilgrim practice more widely.
This is a comprehensive discussion of insights into, and issues raised by, the customary, furnished with extensive references to comparable sources and recent scholarly discussion. [...] The edition is furnished with a good selection of footnotes which clarify, correct, and expand the text, as well as reference scholarly material. This is a fascinating document which now has the modern edition which it deserves. [...] The text throws an interesting sidelight on pilgrimage […] from the inside of a community in terms of day-today practicalities. [...] In Jenkins’ edition and translation we are literally there—one can almost hear the distant sound of plainchant and the clink of a key in a nearby lock.
-- Toby Huitson * Church Archaeology 24 (2023): 77-ISBN: 9781641894487
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
120 pages
New edition