This thesis proposes that Northumbrian monastic liturgy evolved in ways distinct from those of the rest of Britain, and traces its development through three markedly contrasting periods of its history. The first chapter is concerned with the origins of monastic life in Northumbria, up to the death of the Venerable Bede in 735. Taking as source material the historical works of Bede and other contemporary lives of the saints, specific references to liturgy and chant are analysed, with the purpose of determining the importance of liturgical music in the evangelization of Northumbria, the type and provenance of the chants used, and the methods of musical transmission in the absence of notation. It becomes apparent from this analysis that by the early eighth century, Northumbrian monastic liturgy had reached a degree of sophistication unsurpassed even by Canterbury. The second chapter shows, mainly by evidence from liturgical books, how a small remnant of monastic life survived the ravages of the Viking raids, until the return of relative stability after the Norman Conquest. The persistence of cults of Northumbrian saints throughout Britain is also documented, using evidence from liturgical kalendars. The revival of monastic life after the Conquest is the subject of the third chapter, with emphasis on how the new or revived monasteries compiled their liturgical books. Strands of influence on the Durham Missal are investigated, and a little-known Scottish Tironensian missal is used as evidence of the growing importance of the reformed Benedictine orders in the north of Britain at the beginning of the twelfth century, largely due to the encouragement of David, Earl of Northumbria, who was later King David I of Scotland.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:654082 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Lucas, Rory C. M. |
| Publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/1842/19942 |
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