This book offers an archaeological history of hermitages and eremitic communities, with reference to key examples and case-studies. It has a particular emphasis

"Despite the existence of many hermitages and eremitic communities recorded throughout the medieval period, they have, somewhat surprisingly, received little ar

Many hermitages and eremitic communities are recorded throughout the medieval period, yet to date, there has been no comprehensive archaeological study. This ri

Monasticism, in all of its variations, was a feature of almost every landscape in the medieval West. So ubiquitous were religious women and men throughout the M

From the impact of the first monasteries in the seventh century, to the emergence of the local parochial system five hundred years later, the Church was a force