My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Mediaeval Times
31 May 2008
The Romans Got There As Well
And what they built must have been as impressive as the castles, about 2000 years ago. The problem is that for one, more time has passed since they left what they called Britannia in 410 AD, then their finely chiselled stones were often reused (some even in the castles) and today some of their remains are found under houses that can't just be torn down to excavate more Roman foundations.
Hypocaust heating of the fort bath, found in a cellar in Chester
But enough remains to get a feeling for the former splendour. Like the baths in Caerleon which would put some modern leisure centres to shame.
Main bassin in the Caerleon baths, 42 metres in length
Or the arena in Caerleon, which albeit overgrown with grass still displays the wide diameter of the original structure, though not its height.
Roman arena in Caerleon
Caerleon was a legionary fort, not an auxiliary fortress like the ones at the Hadrian's Wall and the German limes, and thus everything comes a bit larger. After all, a legion consisted of abut 5,000 men - not counting the slaves - and even if some of them were dispatched elsewhere most of the time, Caerleon was constructed to house the whole lot.
Barrack row at Caerleon fort
The Romans not only built two legionary forts at Caerleon and Chester (Deva) and littered Wales with auxuliary fortresses (one - Segontium - can be found in Caernarfon), they also built a town at Caerwent.
Flowers on the Roman east wall of Caerwent
What the Roman places had in common with the Norman castles were big walls. Makes you wonder why. *grin*
¶ May 31, 2008 7 comments
And what they built must have been as impressive as the castles, about 2000 years ago. The problem is that for one, more time has passed since they left what they called Britannia in 410 AD, then their finely chiselled stones were often reused (some even in the castles) and today some of their remains are found under houses that can't just be torn down to excavate more Roman foundations.
But enough remains to get a feeling for the former splendour. Like the baths in Caerleon which would put some modern leisure centres to shame.
Or the arena in Caerleon, which albeit overgrown with grass still displays the wide diameter of the original structure, though not its height.
Caerleon was a legionary fort, not an auxiliary fortress like the ones at the Hadrian's Wall and the German limes, and thus everything comes a bit larger. After all, a legion consisted of abut 5,000 men - not counting the slaves - and even if some of them were dispatched elsewhere most of the time, Caerleon was constructed to house the whole lot.
The Romans not only built two legionary forts at Caerleon and Chester (Deva) and littered Wales with auxuliary fortresses (one - Segontium - can be found in Caernarfon), they also built a town at Caerwent.
What the Roman places had in common with the Norman castles were big walls. Makes you wonder why. *grin*
¶ May 31, 2008 7 comments
29 May 2008
Castles in Wales
I'm back. With lots of pics. Two rainy afternoons in two weeks wasn't bad at all, particularly not for Wales. Except for a fresh wind blowing from the sea sometimes, it was not cold, either. The only problem was the often hazy atmosphere which made it difficult to get decent photos of the landscape. But I got plenty of the castles.
Chepstow Castle, outer curtain wall
I managed to meet with Lady D from Lady Despenser's Scribery and James Oswald from Sir Benfro. It's nice to meet people you know from the internet in real. With Lady D I invaded Chepstow Castle, and with James I took a stroll through Aberystwyth, discussing ghosts and magic in novels. I failed to see a real ghost in any of the castles, though.
Chepstow Castle, sea gate
Welsh public transport does get you places - except on Bank Holidays - though sometimes it's a bit complicated, like from Caernarfon to Dolwyddelan via Llandudno. But at least you can stop a bus almost everywhere.
Dolwyddelan Castle, Llywelyn's Keep
People actually speak Welsh in north Wales, and it's a pretty sounding language. In south Wales on the other side, the bilingual signs and descriptions fe. in the castles are a joke since almost no one can tell you how to pronounce a word, let alone knows what it means.
Conwy Castle, inside seen from one of the towers
Ok, now I'll have to go and sort out 2,000 photos, read up on two weeks worth of blogposts on my sidebar links, and put my foot into cold water because I managed to slip when leaving the ferry in Amsterdam and twist something. No, I'm not going to see a doctor for that, he'd only put my foot in a cast and make a lot of fuss about not doing this and not doing that. I heal better without the 'help' of a bone setter (to use a Mediaeval term).
Criccieth Castle
It's fortunately back to German cakes and sweets; the British stuff is way too sugary for my taste. And to some nice rye bread with cheese instead of scrambled eggs with mushrooms. Nothing wrong with them, but after two weeks I wanted a change. :)
Manorbier Castle, inner ward
The pleasantest spot in Wales, Gerald of Wales called Manorbier Castle in southern Wales, and he got a point. It is less imposing than some of the huge Norman castles and the Edwardian ones, but it really pretty.
Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly is another Norman castle in southern Wales. The things are huge, with massive walls, sorrounded by water and ditches, several gatehouses and lots of nasty little tricks to keep those pesky Welsh out.
Pembroke Castle, the Norman keep
Seat of the famous William Marshal, Pembroke Castle dominates the village of the same name. A fun place to explore.
Pembroke castle in the evening sun
In the evening, the sun came out and I took a walk around the castle to take some photos of the imposing walls looking warm and golden in that light, no longer grey an forbidding.
Caernarfon Castle
One of King Edward I's fortifications in northern Wales (together with Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris and several others) and birthplace of his son, Edward of Caernarfon, the future Edward II, subject of Kathryn Warner's highly informative blog.
Caernarfon, the Eagle Tower
Don't get me wrong, I've developed an interest in the Welsh and their history and I'm not the biggest fan of Edward Longshanks, but the castles are still great. *wink*
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris is the last and most beautiful of King Edward's Welsh castles. I had luck with the sunny weather which made it a really lovely site to visit.
Beaumaris, outer bailey
An overview of the Roman vestiges in Wales can be found here.
¶ May 29, 2008 17 comments
I'm back. With lots of pics. Two rainy afternoons in two weeks wasn't bad at all, particularly not for Wales. Except for a fresh wind blowing from the sea sometimes, it was not cold, either. The only problem was the often hazy atmosphere which made it difficult to get decent photos of the landscape. But I got plenty of the castles.
I managed to meet with Lady D from Lady Despenser's Scribery and James Oswald from Sir Benfro. It's nice to meet people you know from the internet in real. With Lady D I invaded Chepstow Castle, and with James I took a stroll through Aberystwyth, discussing ghosts and magic in novels. I failed to see a real ghost in any of the castles, though.
Welsh public transport does get you places - except on Bank Holidays - though sometimes it's a bit complicated, like from Caernarfon to Dolwyddelan via Llandudno. But at least you can stop a bus almost everywhere.
People actually speak Welsh in north Wales, and it's a pretty sounding language. In south Wales on the other side, the bilingual signs and descriptions fe. in the castles are a joke since almost no one can tell you how to pronounce a word, let alone knows what it means.
Ok, now I'll have to go and sort out 2,000 photos, read up on two weeks worth of blogposts on my sidebar links, and put my foot into cold water because I managed to slip when leaving the ferry in Amsterdam and twist something. No, I'm not going to see a doctor for that, he'd only put my foot in a cast and make a lot of fuss about not doing this and not doing that. I heal better without the 'help' of a bone setter (to use a Mediaeval term).
It's fortunately back to German cakes and sweets; the British stuff is way too sugary for my taste. And to some nice rye bread with cheese instead of scrambled eggs with mushrooms. Nothing wrong with them, but after two weeks I wanted a change. :)
The pleasantest spot in Wales, Gerald of Wales called Manorbier Castle in southern Wales, and he got a point. It is less imposing than some of the huge Norman castles and the Edwardian ones, but it really pretty.
Caerphilly is another Norman castle in southern Wales. The things are huge, with massive walls, sorrounded by water and ditches, several gatehouses and lots of nasty little tricks to keep those pesky Welsh out.
Seat of the famous William Marshal, Pembroke Castle dominates the village of the same name. A fun place to explore.
In the evening, the sun came out and I took a walk around the castle to take some photos of the imposing walls looking warm and golden in that light, no longer grey an forbidding.
One of King Edward I's fortifications in northern Wales (together with Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris and several others) and birthplace of his son, Edward of Caernarfon, the future Edward II, subject of Kathryn Warner's highly informative blog.
Don't get me wrong, I've developed an interest in the Welsh and their history and I'm not the biggest fan of Edward Longshanks, but the castles are still great. *wink*
Beaumaris is the last and most beautiful of King Edward's Welsh castles. I had luck with the sunny weather which made it a really lovely site to visit.
An overview of the Roman vestiges in Wales can be found here.
¶ May 29, 2008 17 comments
11 May 2008
Fallen Splendour, Forgotten Greatness
St Mary's Abbey in York once was the one of the wealthiest monasteries in England and the abbot among the most powerful clergymen of his days. The abbey was built in 1088 and consecrated to the Benedictine rule, though of course, later changes and additions were made; most of what is left looks Gothic (Early English period) to me rather than Norman, except the heavy bundled pillar in the crossing that reminds me of the Norman part of Hexham Abbey.
St.Mary's Abbey, remains of the nave
The Gothic parts would fit with the time the wall encircling the abbey was erected which dates to 1260. The walls proved useful several times when the abbey and the city of York quarreled about taxes and land ownership. Somehow these things always tended to come to blows in the Middle Ages.
Crossing and transept, to the left a bundled pillar of surprising size
Today only some ruins in the Museum Gardens remain, but you can still sense some of the splendour in the withered stones. The estate of the monastery once occupied the entire area of the Museum Gardens. What is left are parts of the nave, the crossing and transept, and the cloister.
South entrance to the main nave
The decline of the abbey began when King Henry VIII banned all monasteries in England in 1530. The buildings were converted into a palace for the king when he visited York. Over time, the abbey with outbuildings and church fell into ruins until the Yorkshire Philosophical Society excavated them in the 1820ies and made efforts to preserve the remains.
¶ May 11, 2008 7 comments
St Mary's Abbey in York once was the one of the wealthiest monasteries in England and the abbot among the most powerful clergymen of his days. The abbey was built in 1088 and consecrated to the Benedictine rule, though of course, later changes and additions were made; most of what is left looks Gothic (Early English period) to me rather than Norman, except the heavy bundled pillar in the crossing that reminds me of the Norman part of Hexham Abbey.
The Gothic parts would fit with the time the wall encircling the abbey was erected which dates to 1260. The walls proved useful several times when the abbey and the city of York quarreled about taxes and land ownership. Somehow these things always tended to come to blows in the Middle Ages.
Today only some ruins in the Museum Gardens remain, but you can still sense some of the splendour in the withered stones. The estate of the monastery once occupied the entire area of the Museum Gardens. What is left are parts of the nave, the crossing and transept, and the cloister.
The decline of the abbey began when King Henry VIII banned all monasteries in England in 1530. The buildings were converted into a palace for the king when he visited York. Over time, the abbey with outbuildings and church fell into ruins until the Yorkshire Philosophical Society excavated them in the 1820ies and made efforts to preserve the remains.
¶ May 11, 2008 7 comments
1 May 2008
York Guild Hall
Or, The Ancient Guild Hall of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York.
I like the merchant adventurers; it evokes images of stout cogs with red and white sails ploughing the green waters of the Baltic Sea, camel caravans trudging through yellow sand, mail clad mercenaries with their hands close to the swordhilt, and white eyed moors gesticulating with slant eyed men from Cathai in front of the pillared facades of a Venetian house, or a caftan clad citizen of Novgorod drinking beer with a golden haired Nordman while admiring the wonders of St.Mary Church in Lübeck, anxious to return ere the Gotland pirates gather another fleet. And maybe his comrade of chance is a pirate himself, and the moor in Venice an escaped galley slave who fought as mercenary all the way up into marrying the doge's daughter.
Though the explanation is less romantic: a merchant adventurer was someone who risked - adventured - his money in overseas trade.
Outside view of the York Guild Hall
I didn't have the Guild Hall on my list of places to see, but when I visted the Roman baths, I got a ticket for several small museums, including the charming one about Richard III (which wasn't on my list either thanks to crappy UK travel guidebook - next time I'll spend the money on a Baedecker) and the Guild Hall, so I sneaked it in between breakfast and catching a train to Newcastle on my last day. The place is surely worth a visit. The York Guild Hall is the oldest that survived with its business rooms, hospital and chapel intact, and it's the largest townhouse of the time, only churches and castles were bigger.
In 1357, a group of influential men and women founded a religious fraternity and built the hall. Which proves, again, that not all women in the Middle Ages were suppressed to the level of inisgnificance except for popping out as many children as possible; women held considerable influence in the guilds.
Less than a hundred years later most members were merchants, and they set up a trading association, a guild, alongside the religious fraternity. The hall was quite the multifunctional place, the members conducted trade business, said prayers, cared for the poor, and met socially.
The Guild (today called Company) still exists though no longer as trading association. They still are involved in charity and use the chapel for services, and they own the Guild Hall as trustee for visitors.
The Great Hall
The Great Hall was built as double nave because there were no timbers large enough to span the full width - English oaks grow big, but not that big.
The lower part of the hall, the undercroft, is constructed of bricks; the earliest to be made in York since the Romans left. The upper part is a half-timbered construction . The process used was interesting because each section was first put together lying on the ground, the timbers marked, and then it was dismantled and reassembled in an upright position on the building.
The windows are one of the 16th century additions, the original ones were smaller.
The Undercroft
The Undercroft was used as hospital from 1373 to 1900. Guilds were the first to build hospitals in several towns, for example in Lübeck as well, and there, as in York, the hospital was in use into the 19th century. The name hospital may be somewhat misleading, because the inmates were poor and infirm people rather than acutely sick ones.
A great fireplace was inserted in the 16th century; before the room had been heated by braziers. Some of the beams still show scorch marks of torches. The place must have been rather dark and cold, especially in winter, but probably a paradise for people who else might have been left to sleep on the streets.
Charity is one reason to have a hospital, but another was order. People who had nowhere to go, no connection with the organised life in a town, were considered a potential danger and a disgrace in the eyes of God. By giving them a place to live, they were reintruduced - or kept - within society.
On the undercroft level is also the chapel which was used by the guild members as well as the people in the hospital. It is consecrated to the Holy Trinity which also protected the activities of the guild.
Old furniture in the First Anteroom
An annex was added in the 16th century, it holds the Governor's Parlour and several anterooms. It is a three gabled structure that fits well with the two large gables of the double nave roof. The rooms inside today display a nice arrangement of old furniture, paintings, and some silver.
The company held a number of responsibilites like the control of weights and measures, and they also trained apprentices and helped young men to start their own business. Some of this was conducted past the Middle Ages (there's a 17th century document about a loan, fe.). Until today, the company also keeps the archives.
Source: The guidebook provided by the Company
¶ May 01, 2008 12 comments
Or, The Ancient Guild Hall of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York.
I like the merchant adventurers; it evokes images of stout cogs with red and white sails ploughing the green waters of the Baltic Sea, camel caravans trudging through yellow sand, mail clad mercenaries with their hands close to the swordhilt, and white eyed moors gesticulating with slant eyed men from Cathai in front of the pillared facades of a Venetian house, or a caftan clad citizen of Novgorod drinking beer with a golden haired Nordman while admiring the wonders of St.Mary Church in Lübeck, anxious to return ere the Gotland pirates gather another fleet. And maybe his comrade of chance is a pirate himself, and the moor in Venice an escaped galley slave who fought as mercenary all the way up into marrying the doge's daughter.
Though the explanation is less romantic: a merchant adventurer was someone who risked - adventured - his money in overseas trade.
I didn't have the Guild Hall on my list of places to see, but when I visted the Roman baths, I got a ticket for several small museums, including the charming one about Richard III (which wasn't on my list either thanks to crappy UK travel guidebook - next time I'll spend the money on a Baedecker) and the Guild Hall, so I sneaked it in between breakfast and catching a train to Newcastle on my last day. The place is surely worth a visit. The York Guild Hall is the oldest that survived with its business rooms, hospital and chapel intact, and it's the largest townhouse of the time, only churches and castles were bigger.
In 1357, a group of influential men and women founded a religious fraternity and built the hall. Which proves, again, that not all women in the Middle Ages were suppressed to the level of inisgnificance except for popping out as many children as possible; women held considerable influence in the guilds.
Less than a hundred years later most members were merchants, and they set up a trading association, a guild, alongside the religious fraternity. The hall was quite the multifunctional place, the members conducted trade business, said prayers, cared for the poor, and met socially.
The Guild (today called Company) still exists though no longer as trading association. They still are involved in charity and use the chapel for services, and they own the Guild Hall as trustee for visitors.
The Great Hall was built as double nave because there were no timbers large enough to span the full width - English oaks grow big, but not that big.
The lower part of the hall, the undercroft, is constructed of bricks; the earliest to be made in York since the Romans left. The upper part is a half-timbered construction . The process used was interesting because each section was first put together lying on the ground, the timbers marked, and then it was dismantled and reassembled in an upright position on the building.
The windows are one of the 16th century additions, the original ones were smaller.
The Undercroft was used as hospital from 1373 to 1900. Guilds were the first to build hospitals in several towns, for example in Lübeck as well, and there, as in York, the hospital was in use into the 19th century. The name hospital may be somewhat misleading, because the inmates were poor and infirm people rather than acutely sick ones.
A great fireplace was inserted in the 16th century; before the room had been heated by braziers. Some of the beams still show scorch marks of torches. The place must have been rather dark and cold, especially in winter, but probably a paradise for people who else might have been left to sleep on the streets.
Charity is one reason to have a hospital, but another was order. People who had nowhere to go, no connection with the organised life in a town, were considered a potential danger and a disgrace in the eyes of God. By giving them a place to live, they were reintruduced - or kept - within society.
On the undercroft level is also the chapel which was used by the guild members as well as the people in the hospital. It is consecrated to the Holy Trinity which also protected the activities of the guild.
An annex was added in the 16th century, it holds the Governor's Parlour and several anterooms. It is a three gabled structure that fits well with the two large gables of the double nave roof. The rooms inside today display a nice arrangement of old furniture, paintings, and some silver.
The company held a number of responsibilites like the control of weights and measures, and they also trained apprentices and helped young men to start their own business. Some of this was conducted past the Middle Ages (there's a 17th century document about a loan, fe.). Until today, the company also keeps the archives.
Source: The guidebook provided by the Company
¶ May 01, 2008 12 comments
27 Apr 2008
Junkerberg Cemetary
There is a new feature in the Junkerberg cemetary outside Göttingen where my mother is buried.
If you look through the stones, you can distinguish the shape of a cross. A number of those stones has been arranged in the lay of a church, with an altar and some stone seats in the centre. Several walkways meander through it, giving different views of the cross-stones. I can imagine that once the trees have sprouted leaves and grown a bit, it will be even more interesting.
Wales
If everything goes well, I'll be off May 14 - 28, which gives me two weeks to explore Roman remains and great whopping castles. I'll take a four corner trip, so to speak: Cardiff, Pembroke, Caernarfon, Chester (ok, the last is just outside Wales, but it has too much Roman stuff to be missed). From those places I should be able to cover a good number of interesting sites, even by public traffic. Some on my list are Caerleon and Caerwent Roman remains, the castles of Caerphilly, Chepstow, Pembroke and Manorbier, Caernarfon castle and the Roman remains of Segontium, plus the castles of Beaumaris and Dolwyddelan.
The only part of the trip I'm not looking forward to is the transfer Pembroke - Caernarfon, an 8 ½ hour journey with several changes of buses and trains, and King Arthur knows if there'll be the chance to see a bathroom any time. I could rent a car, but I really don't feel like driving on the wrong side on single track roads. Or on normal roads, for that matter.
So if anyone feels like picking me up in Carmarthen and give me a ride .... *grin*
A little lake, also in Junkerberg cemetary
It's still a low winter sun in those pics, because I took them back in January.
¶ April 27, 2008 22 comments
There is a new feature in the Junkerberg cemetary outside Göttingen where my mother is buried.
If you look through the stones, you can distinguish the shape of a cross. A number of those stones has been arranged in the lay of a church, with an altar and some stone seats in the centre. Several walkways meander through it, giving different views of the cross-stones. I can imagine that once the trees have sprouted leaves and grown a bit, it will be even more interesting.
Wales
If everything goes well, I'll be off May 14 - 28, which gives me two weeks to explore Roman remains and great whopping castles. I'll take a four corner trip, so to speak: Cardiff, Pembroke, Caernarfon, Chester (ok, the last is just outside Wales, but it has too much Roman stuff to be missed). From those places I should be able to cover a good number of interesting sites, even by public traffic. Some on my list are Caerleon and Caerwent Roman remains, the castles of Caerphilly, Chepstow, Pembroke and Manorbier, Caernarfon castle and the Roman remains of Segontium, plus the castles of Beaumaris and Dolwyddelan.
The only part of the trip I'm not looking forward to is the transfer Pembroke - Caernarfon, an 8 ½ hour journey with several changes of buses and trains, and King Arthur knows if there'll be the chance to see a bathroom any time. I could rent a car, but I really don't feel like driving on the wrong side on single track roads. Or on normal roads, for that matter.
So if anyone feels like picking me up in Carmarthen and give me a ride .... *grin*
It's still a low winter sun in those pics, because I took them back in January.
¶ April 27, 2008 22 comments
21 Apr 2008
Spring is Coming
That's a view from my balcony about two weeks ago. Winter had decided January was not much fun to be around, but April was. Added nuisance factor or something. Though I love snow even in April.
That's the same view a few days ago. Lots of rain and rising temperatures really made the shots shoot, and then the sun decided to play along as well.
Heather in the snow.
Pansies in the sunshine.
Closeup of a violet I planted last week.
We call them Stiefmütterchen, little stepmothers, though I have no idea how such pretty flowers deserve a name associated with the bad girl from the fairy tales.
¶ April 21, 2008 12 comments
That's a view from my balcony about two weeks ago. Winter had decided January was not much fun to be around, but April was. Added nuisance factor or something. Though I love snow even in April.
That's the same view a few days ago. Lots of rain and rising temperatures really made the shots shoot, and then the sun decided to play along as well.
Heather in the snow.
Pansies in the sunshine.
Closeup of a violet I planted last week.
We call them Stiefmütterchen, little stepmothers, though I have no idea how such pretty flowers deserve a name associated with the bad girl from the fairy tales.
¶ April 21, 2008 12 comments
16 Apr 2008
Vows and Secret Meetings - The History of Lippoldsberg Abbey, part 1
As usual, there had been an older building on the site of Lippoldsberg Abbey. Some time between 1051-56, archbishop Luitpold (Lippold) of Mainz founded Lippoldsberg and had the first wooden chapel built. I've mentioned before that the possesions of the archbishop of Mainz stretched from the Rhine all the way into Thuringia, and the Weser was one station on the way there, with a ford near the future Lippoldsberg. Luitpold bought the land from the monastery at Corvey, probably to ensure an unhindered passage on his 'own' lands all the way to Erfurt in Thuringia (today the county capital).
Lippoldsberg Church, view from the south, detail of the angle at the west tower
His successor Siegfried got deeply embroiled in the investiture controversy, the contest between the Emperor (notably Heinrich IV) and pope Gregory VII about the appointment of church officials and the overall role of the Church in relation to the secular power. A quarrel that found its way to England as well where Heinrich's namesake Henry I had his share of troubles with the Gregorian papacy.
The controversy would end with the Concordate of Worms 1122 which gave the Church more rights (for England, it was the Concordate of Westminster 1107), but right here we're still in the middle of the fun.
Choir with triple apse attached to nave and aisles, and transept behind
Archbishop Siegfried I of Mainz - who also was a prince of the realm - changed sides several time during the conflict, and managed to get excommunicated in the process (can we say oops?). He obviously did say 'oops, soory', because some time later we find him back in grace and member of the alliance against Heinrich IV. It didn't do Siegfried much good though, because he was taken prisoner by Heinrich in 1178 and spent the next four years in captivity.
The Chronicon of the Prioress Margaretha from 1151 mentions that Siegfried vowed to build a stone church in Lippoldsberg upon his release. He'd gotten better in keeping promises, because a new church, dedicated to St. George, was indeed built in 1082; some remains of foundations have been discovered during restoration work in 1966. The church got a nice amount of land and tithes as well.
View from the north side
In 1089, a lady's chapterhouse or nunnery was established. We can't be sure which one, though there are some arguments in favour of a chapterhouse. The difference between those and a nunnery was that the women, which were usually daughters and widows of noble birth, didn't take permanent vows so they could leave and marry if familiy politics required it. But as long as they lived in the monastery, they vowed chastity and obedience, and kept vigils the same way nuns did.
The Chronicon, based on fake chartes for this event, mentions an obscure Betto as founder, but it was most probably archbishop Ruthard of Mainz. Another charte dating between 1099 and 1101, the Oath of the Lippoldsberg Nuns, has been proven genuine. In this document the 25 nuns vow to live according to the Benedictine rules of Hirsau. It is signed not only by archbishop Ruthard, the abbess and the nuns, but also by a number of other leading ecclesiastic and secular princes. This is particularly interesting because the whole lot is known to have been opposed to Heinrich IV. There are no other documents about the meeting, but it was surely about more than witnessing a few nuns taking a vow of chastity.
West side with tower
Considering the fact that Bursfelde Abbey is only a few miles away, and the strong connections of Heinrich of Northeim with that place, one may wonder if the Count of Northeim was present and if he really had turned to the side of Heinrich IV or played double like his dad did on occasion. I'd like to get a list of the people who signed that document. ;)
Whatever plot against the Emperor - of the many he faced - was cooked up there, the event brought Lippoldsberg Abbey into the spotlight for a moment. After that, the place sank into obscurity until 1138.
Sources: The guide booklet about the history of Lippoldsberg Abbey Church and the official website.
Some interior shots can be seen here.
¶ April 16, 2008 7 comments
As usual, there had been an older building on the site of Lippoldsberg Abbey. Some time between 1051-56, archbishop Luitpold (Lippold) of Mainz founded Lippoldsberg and had the first wooden chapel built. I've mentioned before that the possesions of the archbishop of Mainz stretched from the Rhine all the way into Thuringia, and the Weser was one station on the way there, with a ford near the future Lippoldsberg. Luitpold bought the land from the monastery at Corvey, probably to ensure an unhindered passage on his 'own' lands all the way to Erfurt in Thuringia (today the county capital).
His successor Siegfried got deeply embroiled in the investiture controversy, the contest between the Emperor (notably Heinrich IV) and pope Gregory VII about the appointment of church officials and the overall role of the Church in relation to the secular power. A quarrel that found its way to England as well where Heinrich's namesake Henry I had his share of troubles with the Gregorian papacy.
The controversy would end with the Concordate of Worms 1122 which gave the Church more rights (for England, it was the Concordate of Westminster 1107), but right here we're still in the middle of the fun.
Archbishop Siegfried I of Mainz - who also was a prince of the realm - changed sides several time during the conflict, and managed to get excommunicated in the process (can we say oops?). He obviously did say 'oops, soory', because some time later we find him back in grace and member of the alliance against Heinrich IV. It didn't do Siegfried much good though, because he was taken prisoner by Heinrich in 1178 and spent the next four years in captivity.
The Chronicon of the Prioress Margaretha from 1151 mentions that Siegfried vowed to build a stone church in Lippoldsberg upon his release. He'd gotten better in keeping promises, because a new church, dedicated to St. George, was indeed built in 1082; some remains of foundations have been discovered during restoration work in 1966. The church got a nice amount of land and tithes as well.
In 1089, a lady's chapterhouse or nunnery was established. We can't be sure which one, though there are some arguments in favour of a chapterhouse. The difference between those and a nunnery was that the women, which were usually daughters and widows of noble birth, didn't take permanent vows so they could leave and marry if familiy politics required it. But as long as they lived in the monastery, they vowed chastity and obedience, and kept vigils the same way nuns did.
The Chronicon, based on fake chartes for this event, mentions an obscure Betto as founder, but it was most probably archbishop Ruthard of Mainz. Another charte dating between 1099 and 1101, the Oath of the Lippoldsberg Nuns, has been proven genuine. In this document the 25 nuns vow to live according to the Benedictine rules of Hirsau. It is signed not only by archbishop Ruthard, the abbess and the nuns, but also by a number of other leading ecclesiastic and secular princes. This is particularly interesting because the whole lot is known to have been opposed to Heinrich IV. There are no other documents about the meeting, but it was surely about more than witnessing a few nuns taking a vow of chastity.
Considering the fact that Bursfelde Abbey is only a few miles away, and the strong connections of Heinrich of Northeim with that place, one may wonder if the Count of Northeim was present and if he really had turned to the side of Heinrich IV or played double like his dad did on occasion. I'd like to get a list of the people who signed that document. ;)
Whatever plot against the Emperor - of the many he faced - was cooked up there, the event brought Lippoldsberg Abbey into the spotlight for a moment. After that, the place sank into obscurity until 1138.
Sources: The guide booklet about the history of Lippoldsberg Abbey Church and the official website.
Some interior shots can be seen here.
¶ April 16, 2008 7 comments
14 Apr 2008
Romanesque Murals in Vernawahlshausen
I've mentioned that some villages in Germany have churches of great age and sometimes unexpected beauty. One of these can be found in a village called Vernawahlshausen (not only Wales has long names), built in early Romanesque style about 1100. It's a simple, rectangular building with no aisles. The half timbered tower was added in 1744.
Village Church Vernawahlshausen
The eastern part dates back to about 1100. It now holds the altar, but originally it was a choir with gross grain vault but no apse. There may have been an even older building, a chapel dedicated to St. Margarethe built by monks from Corvey, one of the great German monastic centres which had its roots in the Cluny tradition.
East wall; the oldest part of the building.
The church belonged to the Dukes of Braunschweig until 1296, then went to the Abbey of Lippoldsberg; and after the reformation in 1538, the patronship came to the landgraves of Hessen.
Descent from the Cross, Romanesque mural
When restoration work was done in 1955, some Gothic and Romanesque mural paintings were discovered which the Landgrave Moritz of Hessen, a stout Calvinist, had covered with a layer of white paint in the 17th century.
View into the altar room with the rediscovered murals
Fresco style murals can also be found in the nearby church of Bursfelde Abbey. (Edited 2016: Some of those have been refreshed; I took some new photos of them.)
Closeup of some Romanesque murals:
in the centre the archangel Michael, to the right two apostles
In 1589, the nave was expanded, and thereafter either a traveling painter, or a more or less talented guy from the village added some paintings on the sides of the gallery. Whoever did the job might have benefitted from some lessons in human anatomy. The snake looks pretty good, though.
Adam and Eve, Rennaissance painting
The vicar at that time - and as rumor has it, his wife in particular - thought his parishioners should not be exposed to such sinful paintings. Yes, you can see Eva's boobies. The offending pictures were painted over with white colour as well and have been rediscovered in 1955, together with the Romanesque murals in the choir.
¶ April 14, 2008 7 comments
I've mentioned that some villages in Germany have churches of great age and sometimes unexpected beauty. One of these can be found in a village called Vernawahlshausen (not only Wales has long names), built in early Romanesque style about 1100. It's a simple, rectangular building with no aisles. The half timbered tower was added in 1744.
The eastern part dates back to about 1100. It now holds the altar, but originally it was a choir with gross grain vault but no apse. There may have been an even older building, a chapel dedicated to St. Margarethe built by monks from Corvey, one of the great German monastic centres which had its roots in the Cluny tradition.
The church belonged to the Dukes of Braunschweig until 1296, then went to the Abbey of Lippoldsberg; and after the reformation in 1538, the patronship came to the landgraves of Hessen.
When restoration work was done in 1955, some Gothic and Romanesque mural paintings were discovered which the Landgrave Moritz of Hessen, a stout Calvinist, had covered with a layer of white paint in the 17th century.
Fresco style murals can also be found in the nearby church of Bursfelde Abbey. (Edited 2016: Some of those have been refreshed; I took some new photos of them.)
in the centre the archangel Michael, to the right two apostles
In 1589, the nave was expanded, and thereafter either a traveling painter, or a more or less talented guy from the village added some paintings on the sides of the gallery. Whoever did the job might have benefitted from some lessons in human anatomy. The snake looks pretty good, though.
The vicar at that time - and as rumor has it, his wife in particular - thought his parishioners should not be exposed to such sinful paintings. Yes, you can see Eva's boobies. The offending pictures were painted over with white colour as well and have been rediscovered in 1955, together with the Romanesque murals in the choir.
¶ April 14, 2008 7 comments
10 Apr 2008
British Country Style
Because it is such a pretty place, here's a photo of the B&B where I stayed in Corbridge: Hayes Guest House. They have a huge garden facing downhill towards the Tyne river. Just the place to sit and read on a sunny summer evening.
The weather displayed a strange pattern the first days: sunshine in the mornings, an overcast sky in the afternoons, and sun again in the evenings.
¶ April 10, 2008 5 comments
Because it is such a pretty place, here's a photo of the B&B where I stayed in Corbridge: Hayes Guest House. They have a huge garden facing downhill towards the Tyne river. Just the place to sit and read on a sunny summer evening.
The weather displayed a strange pattern the first days: sunshine in the mornings, an overcast sky in the afternoons, and sun again in the evenings.
¶ April 10, 2008 5 comments
9 Apr 2008
And order you to have made a good and strong gaol
In June 1330, William Melton Archbishop of York wrote the following letter to one Thomas Fox in Hexham:
‘William, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of York, to our beloved in Christ, Thomas Fox our receiver in Hexhamshire, greeting. We wish and order you to have made a good and strong gaol, in which our prisoners can be securely held and guarded and the expenses incurred in the building of this we will allow out of your account.’ (Borthwick Institute, Reg. 9A f.45, quote found on the official website of the Gaol)
The result can be seen here.
Old Gaol Hexham
Hexham Gaol was the first purpose-built prison in England. Before, prisons were rooms adapted from other buildings (I've mentioned prisoners were for example kept in Carlisle Castle, either the gatehouse or the keep).
The Archbishop of York ruled over Hexhamshire through his bailiff and other officials. Looks like it was an unruly place that he thought a decent prison was neccessary. Already in 1332 he wanted additional equipment for the gaol. His prisoners must have been Scots to have caused to much trouble. *grin*
‘William, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of York to our beloved master Robert de Bridelington, Steward of our lands, greeting. We wish and order you to repair our gaol at Hexham and to provide shackles, manacles, fetters and other items necessary to the repair of the gaol and the guarding of the prisoners. Wherefore we appoint John de Cawood, barber, bearer of these letters, sergeant of our manor and town of Hexham and keeper of the gaol. And we wish that you will allow the said John for his salary and expenses as was automany the sum of two pence a day.’ (Borthwick Institute, Reg. 9B. F.541)
So William got the lot chained up. Probably in the cellar where you can today see the dungeon by going down in a glass elevator. The chains and manacles are still there, plus some straw on the ground. Not very comfortable. The other three storeys were used for less troublesome, or more noble prisoners who demanded a somewhat better treatment, and as guardroom.
The gaol has been in use as such over the centuries and came to some fame during the time of the Border Reivers in the 16th century. They were basically a belligerent mix of robbers, feuding clans and guerrilla warriors along the Scottish / English border. I admit I don't know much about the Reivers besides what I saw in the exhibitions in Hexham and the Tullie House in Carlisle. Considering the high costs and bad exchange rates, I could not buy every book I wanted and had to forego getting one about the Reivers.
Those were very troubled times and the gaol used a lot. Though it wasn't that secure; there have been several escapes, either because of bribed guards or help from outside. One of the most famous was the one of Robert More in 1538. He was a priest who got on the wrong side of our friend Henry of the Many Wives who had just sacked the wealth of the Catholic Church. More was suspected to be a spy for the Scots - who were Catholics and in league with France - and incarcerated in Hexham Gaol. For some reason, maybe an outbreak of plague, the responsible officials were somewhere else, the guards went dining, and the gaol was promptly broken into by a 'band of outlaws', a feat that didn't prove difficult because the locks were rusty and none of the prisoners in irons. So More and a bunch of others took a night walk and forgot to return. The blame was laid on the Reivers, particularly because among the escapees were an Armstrong and two Dodd, notorious Reiver clans.
I don't know what Archbishop William would have said about that.
Moot Hall with gatehouse tower
The gaol was in use as prison until 1820 and then used for different functions until restoration began in 1973, and the building was made into a tourist attraction with a museum about the Reivers and exhibitions in the upper storeys.
Opposite the gaol stands the moot hall, a combination of the old bailiff's hall and a gatehouse tower which was added about 1400 as result of the constant threat by the Scottish armies. At first, the bailiff of the Archbishop of York held court in the hall, and later it was used as town hall for Hexham. Today, it is a place for art exhibitions.
¶ April 09, 2008 7 comments
In June 1330, William Melton Archbishop of York wrote the following letter to one Thomas Fox in Hexham:
‘William, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of York, to our beloved in Christ, Thomas Fox our receiver in Hexhamshire, greeting. We wish and order you to have made a good and strong gaol, in which our prisoners can be securely held and guarded and the expenses incurred in the building of this we will allow out of your account.’ (Borthwick Institute, Reg. 9A f.45, quote found on the official website of the Gaol)
The result can be seen here.
Hexham Gaol was the first purpose-built prison in England. Before, prisons were rooms adapted from other buildings (I've mentioned prisoners were for example kept in Carlisle Castle, either the gatehouse or the keep).
The Archbishop of York ruled over Hexhamshire through his bailiff and other officials. Looks like it was an unruly place that he thought a decent prison was neccessary. Already in 1332 he wanted additional equipment for the gaol. His prisoners must have been Scots to have caused to much trouble. *grin*
‘William, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of York to our beloved master Robert de Bridelington, Steward of our lands, greeting. We wish and order you to repair our gaol at Hexham and to provide shackles, manacles, fetters and other items necessary to the repair of the gaol and the guarding of the prisoners. Wherefore we appoint John de Cawood, barber, bearer of these letters, sergeant of our manor and town of Hexham and keeper of the gaol. And we wish that you will allow the said John for his salary and expenses as was automany the sum of two pence a day.’ (Borthwick Institute, Reg. 9B. F.541)
So William got the lot chained up. Probably in the cellar where you can today see the dungeon by going down in a glass elevator. The chains and manacles are still there, plus some straw on the ground. Not very comfortable. The other three storeys were used for less troublesome, or more noble prisoners who demanded a somewhat better treatment, and as guardroom.
The gaol has been in use as such over the centuries and came to some fame during the time of the Border Reivers in the 16th century. They were basically a belligerent mix of robbers, feuding clans and guerrilla warriors along the Scottish / English border. I admit I don't know much about the Reivers besides what I saw in the exhibitions in Hexham and the Tullie House in Carlisle. Considering the high costs and bad exchange rates, I could not buy every book I wanted and had to forego getting one about the Reivers.
Those were very troubled times and the gaol used a lot. Though it wasn't that secure; there have been several escapes, either because of bribed guards or help from outside. One of the most famous was the one of Robert More in 1538. He was a priest who got on the wrong side of our friend Henry of the Many Wives who had just sacked the wealth of the Catholic Church. More was suspected to be a spy for the Scots - who were Catholics and in league with France - and incarcerated in Hexham Gaol. For some reason, maybe an outbreak of plague, the responsible officials were somewhere else, the guards went dining, and the gaol was promptly broken into by a 'band of outlaws', a feat that didn't prove difficult because the locks were rusty and none of the prisoners in irons. So More and a bunch of others took a night walk and forgot to return. The blame was laid on the Reivers, particularly because among the escapees were an Armstrong and two Dodd, notorious Reiver clans.
I don't know what Archbishop William would have said about that.
The gaol was in use as prison until 1820 and then used for different functions until restoration began in 1973, and the building was made into a tourist attraction with a museum about the Reivers and exhibitions in the upper storeys.
Opposite the gaol stands the moot hall, a combination of the old bailiff's hall and a gatehouse tower which was added about 1400 as result of the constant threat by the Scottish armies. At first, the bailiff of the Archbishop of York held court in the hall, and later it was used as town hall for Hexham. Today, it is a place for art exhibitions.
¶ April 09, 2008 7 comments
1 Apr 2008
Aelius Rufus Does a Meme
I'll have to do something evil to Sam and Wynn who tagged me for a meme, lol. Since I'm tired of the things, I've asked Aelius Rufus to do it for me this time.
Four Jobs I've Had
I've had only one: soldier in the second Raetian cohors equitata. Maybe I'll get promoted to decurio some day.
Four Movies I could Watch Over and Over
Movies? You mean those theatre performances on a curtain Merlinus spoke about? There are some I'd like to see because I would get a good laugh out of them: Gladiator, King Arthur, The Last Legion.
Four People Who Email me Regularly
Don't know about email, but I do write to my father and he sometimes writes back. He can write you know, he's been in the Roman army for 25 years and got promoted to first decurio a few years before his retirement.
Four Shows That I Watch
Shows? You mean those mini theatre thingies you can watch in your insula? I've heard there is one about Roma that may be interesting, involving a lot of juicy scandals during the time of Caesar and the deified Augustus.
(Left: Another mural detail from the baths in Sege-dunum / Wallsend)
Four Places You'd Like to Be Right Now?
Back at our farm in the Raetian Alpes. Or have another trip to the future with Merlinus. Definitely not standing sentinel at the main gate in Arcataunum. It's raining. Again.
Four Favourite Foods
I like honey cakes with raisins, goat cheese with pepper and honey, fish in an egg and herb crust, and venison stew, though we get the latter way too seldom.
Four Places I Have Visited
Besides my 'home' fort in Germania and Mogunt-iacum, I've been to Britannia and seen the Wall and some places along it. There is talk that I may get a commission with the troops in Isca Silurnum in Britannia for a few months. It could be interesting if those Silures don't start another rebellion just then. I'd like to see Roma, but I think that'll have to wait until retirement.
Four Events I'm Looking Forward to This Year
The Saturnalia, and the games with the garrisons of some other Limes forts. And hopefully we'll get a new praefectus castrorum this year; he can't be worse than the one we have right now. Oh, and I'm looking forward to the day Tullius Ferrarius will finally get caught with his grubby paws in the money chest of our burial funds.
I'm supposed to tag five people, whatever that means. Hm, if I could get Merlinus to do it, that would be fun. Is there anyone who knows where those druid guys hang out when they're not time traveling?
¶ April 01, 2008 20 comments
I'll have to do something evil to Sam and Wynn who tagged me for a meme, lol. Since I'm tired of the things, I've asked Aelius Rufus to do it for me this time.
Four Jobs I've Had
I've had only one: soldier in the second Raetian cohors equitata. Maybe I'll get promoted to decurio some day.
Four Movies I could Watch Over and Over
Movies? You mean those theatre performances on a curtain Merlinus spoke about? There are some I'd like to see because I would get a good laugh out of them: Gladiator, King Arthur, The Last Legion.
Four People Who Email me Regularly
Don't know about email, but I do write to my father and he sometimes writes back. He can write you know, he's been in the Roman army for 25 years and got promoted to first decurio a few years before his retirement.
Four Shows That I Watch
Shows? You mean those mini theatre thingies you can watch in your insula? I've heard there is one about Roma that may be interesting, involving a lot of juicy scandals during the time of Caesar and the deified Augustus.
(Left: Another mural detail from the baths in Sege-dunum / Wallsend) Four Places You'd Like to Be Right Now?
Back at our farm in the Raetian Alpes. Or have another trip to the future with Merlinus. Definitely not standing sentinel at the main gate in Arcataunum. It's raining. Again.
Four Favourite Foods
I like honey cakes with raisins, goat cheese with pepper and honey, fish in an egg and herb crust, and venison stew, though we get the latter way too seldom.
Four Places I Have Visited
Besides my 'home' fort in Germania and Mogunt-iacum, I've been to Britannia and seen the Wall and some places along it. There is talk that I may get a commission with the troops in Isca Silurnum in Britannia for a few months. It could be interesting if those Silures don't start another rebellion just then. I'd like to see Roma, but I think that'll have to wait until retirement.
Four Events I'm Looking Forward to This Year
The Saturnalia, and the games with the garrisons of some other Limes forts. And hopefully we'll get a new praefectus castrorum this year; he can't be worse than the one we have right now. Oh, and I'm looking forward to the day Tullius Ferrarius will finally get caught with his grubby paws in the money chest of our burial funds.
I'm supposed to tag five people, whatever that means. Hm, if I could get Merlinus to do it, that would be fun. Is there anyone who knows where those druid guys hang out when they're not time traveling?
¶ April 01, 2008 20 comments
Aelius Rufus Visits the Future - The Baths of Segedunum
We left the tower and went to the bath house, the one truly Roman looking feature on what Merlinius called 'the site'; obviously a modern word for the places where they'd dug out our walls and some terra sigillata. The baths were modeled after the ones in Cilurnum where quite a lot of walls had been found, Merlinus explained. People in the future were pretty interested in Roman baths.
Baths at Segedunum, details of the wall paint
"Don't they have any baths these days?" Gaius asked.
"They do," Merlinus said, "but they have only tubs and something they call showers in their insulae, and public indoor and outdoor swimming pools in most towns. Some also have what is called a sauna, a bit like the laconicum, the hot dry room. It is considered bad manners to stink."
"So, even the barbarians at the Wall have adopted baths?"
Merlinus nodded.
Gaius grinned and slapped my shoulder. "See, Roma has conquered them in the end, and taught them civilization."
Fountain in the tepidarium, the warm room
We went through the changing room (the apodyterium) into the frigidarium, the cold bath. Pity we could not really use it but with all those tourists around, it might not have been much fun. I did not want to appear on those camera thingies wearing nothing. Not that I'm ashamed of my body which is in very good shape, but the sight of nude men always makes the girls giggle.
We strolled over to the tepidarium, the warm room, complete with fountain and some very blue paint. Merlinus muttered something about a "vain attempt to recreate the sky over Rome, which is often veiled by all that smoke anyway." There were no slaves who'd scrap the bathers' skin with scented oil, and I wondered if people used electricity for that in the future like with the cranes.
Hot bath, caldarium
There was water in the caldarium, the hot bath, but obviously not really hot since the steam so common in this room was missing. Though we learned that the baths were fully functional with a Roman underfloor steam heating system heated by furnaces outside the building.
In one wall we found a niche with a little statue of the fertility goddess Ceres holding a bundle of wheat gleans. It was rather crudely made.
"I wonder how that guy received the status of immunis," I said. "Anyone can slab some paint on a figure like that."
"Maybe he was the best they could find, or he knew someone who knew someone. You know how it works," Gaius replied.
Wall niche with goddess figurine
The immunes were soldiers exempt from some of the more tedious duties like guard service, because they had special skills. Among them were drill sergeants, artisans, clerks and the medical orderlies. Some brought their skills because of their background, but others like weapons instructors or cavalry troopers - the legionary ones, not the auxiliary - received training as discens before they got promoted. Officially, they didn't receive extra payment, but bribery was pretty common.
¶ April 01, 2008 2 comments
We left the tower and went to the bath house, the one truly Roman looking feature on what Merlinius called 'the site'; obviously a modern word for the places where they'd dug out our walls and some terra sigillata. The baths were modeled after the ones in Cilurnum where quite a lot of walls had been found, Merlinus explained. People in the future were pretty interested in Roman baths.
"Don't they have any baths these days?" Gaius asked.
"They do," Merlinus said, "but they have only tubs and something they call showers in their insulae, and public indoor and outdoor swimming pools in most towns. Some also have what is called a sauna, a bit like the laconicum, the hot dry room. It is considered bad manners to stink."
"So, even the barbarians at the Wall have adopted baths?"
Merlinus nodded.
Gaius grinned and slapped my shoulder. "See, Roma has conquered them in the end, and taught them civilization."
We went through the changing room (the apodyterium) into the frigidarium, the cold bath. Pity we could not really use it but with all those tourists around, it might not have been much fun. I did not want to appear on those camera thingies wearing nothing. Not that I'm ashamed of my body which is in very good shape, but the sight of nude men always makes the girls giggle.
We strolled over to the tepidarium, the warm room, complete with fountain and some very blue paint. Merlinus muttered something about a "vain attempt to recreate the sky over Rome, which is often veiled by all that smoke anyway." There were no slaves who'd scrap the bathers' skin with scented oil, and I wondered if people used electricity for that in the future like with the cranes.
There was water in the caldarium, the hot bath, but obviously not really hot since the steam so common in this room was missing. Though we learned that the baths were fully functional with a Roman underfloor steam heating system heated by furnaces outside the building.
In one wall we found a niche with a little statue of the fertility goddess Ceres holding a bundle of wheat gleans. It was rather crudely made.
"I wonder how that guy received the status of immunis," I said. "Anyone can slab some paint on a figure like that."
"Maybe he was the best they could find, or he knew someone who knew someone. You know how it works," Gaius replied.
The immunes were soldiers exempt from some of the more tedious duties like guard service, because they had special skills. Among them were drill sergeants, artisans, clerks and the medical orderlies. Some brought their skills because of their background, but others like weapons instructors or cavalry troopers - the legionary ones, not the auxiliary - received training as discens before they got promoted. Officially, they didn't receive extra payment, but bribery was pretty common.
¶ April 01, 2008 2 comments
