Table of Contents

The origins, foundations and governing of Dartford Priory - the order of Dominican nuns in Europe, the foundation and construction of Dartford Priory, French origins of the first nuns at Dartford, the charters and privileges of Dartford Priory, monastic life in Dartford Priory, the cura monialis in Dartford Priory -relations between the prioress and friars, secular chaplains in Dartford Priory, the endowment and administration of Dartford Priory - temporalities and spiritualities, conclusion; nunneries and the secular world - social origins of English nuns - the evidence of Dartford Priory, monasteries and secular society in the diocese of Rochester, 1438-1537, testamentary evidence of the place of Dartford Priory in secular religion in Dartford and its locality, Dartford Priory's reputation beyond west Kent, the role of the Dartford friars in local secular religion, enclosure of late medieval English nunneries - convent and parish religion in Dartford, conclusion; dissolution and the survival of community - conclusion; books, learning and spirituality in late medieval nunneries - learning and Latin literacy in English nunneries, books and the nature of late medieval English female monastic spirituality, books, learning and spirituality in Dominican nunneries, Dominican influences and learning at Dartford Priory, education in Dartford Priory -English nunnery schools, conclusion; books, learning and spirituality in Dartford Priory - the Priory's manuscripts: Dartford Priory's books, Dartford Priory's surviving literary and devotional manuscripts, Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Douce 322, Downside Abbey, MS 26542, British Library, MS Harley 2254, Taunton, Somerset Record Office, MS DD/SAS C/1193/68, London Society of Antiquaries, MS 717, Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson G.59, Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 255, folios 1-44, Dublin, Trinity College, MS 490 (E.2.15), conclusion; Appendices: known nuns of the English Dominican province, to 1585; known friars at Dartford Priory.

Reviews

A fine study... he finds Dartford a vibrant and spiritually vigorous house... Lee's findings add to the growing body of work that has reinvigorated the reputation of English nuns.
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