Monks and Markets

The institutions of the middle ages are generally seen as tradition-bound; Monks and Markets challenges this assumption. Durham''s outstanding archive has allowed the uncovering of an unprecedented level of detail about the purchasing strategies of one of England''s foremost monasteries and it is revealed that the monks were indeed reflective responsive and innovative when required. If this is true of a large Benedictine monastery it is likely to be true also for the vast majority of other households and institutions in Medieval England for which comparable evidence does not exist.Furthermore this study gives a unique insight into the nature of medieval consumer behaviour which throughout history and particularly from before the early modern period remains a relatively neglected subject. Chapters are devoted to the diet of monks the factors influencing their purchasing decisions their use of the market and their exploitation of tenurial relationships and their suppliers.