Life of Medieval Nuns 

A monastery (3)

Nuns dedicated their lives to studying religion, prayer, and serving their community/the needs of society. They committed to chastity, gave up their possessions that were worldly, developed music, and wrote literature. During the medieval period, monasteries were a landscape that was primarily used by women. The Saint Benedict of Nursia created the Benedictine Order and developed monastic guidelines that would lead to the development of monasteries and the expansion of monasticism throughout Europe in the fifth century. The architectural difference in design of the female monastery versus the male monastery is that the layout is in a mirror image. The cloister was connected to a majority of the significant structures such as the church, refectory, and accommodation areas which were used at times by pilgrims to visit holy relics (2). 

                                                                           

                                           The Recruit of Nuns

The apparel of Nuns (4)

Aristocratic women were the main source of recruits in terms of joining a nunnery. They joined primarily out of piety and because they wanted a life that honored and brought them closer to God. Occasionally, more practical circumstances led them to that decision due to aristocratic women having two choices. They could either marry a financially stable man who is capable of providing for her or join a nunnery. Families with younger daughters sent them to nunneries so they could receive the best accessible education or because they had a numerous number of daughters, and it was unattainable to marry to marry them all off. If that was the case, she would be considered an oblate, a person specifically dedicated to God's service, in her mid-teens and could eventually profess vows to become an ordained nun. Lay women were housed in nunneries and male or females could have the opportunity to be employed for necessary daily chores (2).

A nun praying (1)

        Regulations and Lifestyle 

The Benedictine order was typically adhered to in nunneries. Although nuns had their own enforcements, they generally shared the same rules as monks. Nuns were overseen by an abbess, a woman who was the head of an abbey of nuns and had complete authority. Obedientiaries (senior nuns) were assigned specific responsibilities, and a prioress assisted the abbess. Services in a nunnery would be held by male priests because women were unable to serve as priests. A nun's routine on a daily basis consisted of a resemblance to a monk's daily practices such as prayers for people, attending services, devoting time for reading and writing, and so much more. As opposed to monks, nuns worked with needle and thread to make embroidered items for church services. They made contributions to the community by providing clothing and food for those in need regularly, and in larger quantities on special occasions. In addition, they cared for the ill, offered hospice services, and frequently served as tutors to students. Ultimately, nuns were closer to their community than male monasteries and had stronger ties than monks did (2). 

A monk wine tasting (6)

What Medieval Nuns Ate               

In the medieval time period, nuns typically ate bread and drank beer for breakfast. A vast majority of monasteries were aware of the risks that were caused by drinking groundwater, so they preferred to drink beer instead. Most monastic organizations had poverty vows which didn't allow nuns to eat sumptuous or luxury meals. They would instead, eat soup and stew with frequently grown vegetables from their gardens which includes onions, leeks, turnips, and mint. They also collected various kinds of nuts and fruits that used to make wine (5).  

Works Cited 

(1) “A Nun Praying, circa 1260.” Pinterest, 21 Feb. 2021, www.pinterest.com/pin/333547916158950942/.

(2) Cartwright, Mark. “The Daily Life of Medieval Nuns.” World History Encyclopedia, https://www.worldhistory.org#organization, 13 Sept. 2023, www.worldhistory.org/article/1298/the-daily-life-of-medieval-nuns/.

(3) “Medieval Monasteries Facts & Worksheets.” School History, 21 Apr. 2021, schoolhistory.co.uk/medieval/medieval-monasteries/.

(4) “Pictures of Medieval Nuns Clothing.” Pinterest, 12 Apr. 2016, www.pinterest.com/pin/287667494927419983/.

(5) Ponio, Judy. “What Was Life Like For A Medieval Nun?” Lay Cistercians, 30 Dec. 2022, laycistercians.com/what-life-like-for-medieval-nun/.

(6) “The ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ by Henry VIII in 1536.” Brewminate, Ancient History Encyclopedia , 17 May 2020, brewminate.com/the-dissolution-of-the-monasteries-by-henry-viii-in-1536/.