Women in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Society

This conference was the second in a series of (hopefully) five and was as interesting and far-reaching as the first. Alan Ward, the main organiser of the series, succeeded in asking five female lecturers to present papers on the subject of Women in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Society.

Barbara Yorke, professor of Early Medieval History at King Alfred's College, Winchester, gave the first paper 'The Royal Nunneries of Anglo-Saxon Kent'. There are many problems associated with the dating and founding of the five royal nunneries of Kent (Minster in Thanet, Lyminge, Minster in Sheppey, Folkestone and Hoo) as any surviving documents are riddled with inaccuracies. The Venerable Bede did not refer to any of the nunneries which is another major problem. Many of the institutions were double communities housing both monks and nuns. The lecture ended with some illustrations of traces of Anglo-Saxon masonry to be seen at Lyminge, Minster in Thanet and elsewhere.

Caroline Barron, professor of History at Royal Holloway, University of London, took 'Women in Medieval London' as her subject. Documentary evidence is much more available and the City records make it clear that women in London were accorded more status than their rural counterparts. On the death of their husbands they were allowed to continue the business and also to employ apprentices in their own right. This brief period ended after 1500 because of shortage of work and the growth of capitalism.

The morning session ended with Sheila Sweetinburgh, a freelance historian and part-time teacher, who spoke on 'Joining the sisters: female inmates in Kent's late medieval hospitals'. She discussed the probable criteria for selection of the sisters and also how they may have spent their time as part of a semi-religious community. She ended her lecture with an assessment of the provisions and bequests the inmates made in their wills with mention of their pious and charitable concerns and their relationships with family and friends.

After lunch Toni Mount, part-time teacher for the WEA, spoke on 'What of the Medieval Housewife?' She treated us to a witty and informative look at the everyday life of the Medieval housewife making extensive use of original source material such as the Goodman of Paris and 'How the Good Wife taught her Daughter'. Her lecture explained many improbabilities concerning dress, etiquette and recipes. This was an erudite yet light-hearted lecture and so appropriate for the session after lunch.

The day ended with Charlotte Behr, senior lecturer in Roman and Early Medieval History at the University of Surrey, Roehampton, going back to the Anglo-Saxon period speaking on 'High Status Women and Pagan Images'. She concentrated on the high status graves of females in east Kent, discussing the interpretation of the grave assemblages and asking to what degree the interpretation of customs of death and burial are meaningful for our understanding of the world of the living.

The conference provided us with a fascinating insight into this interesting period which benefits from both archaeology and history. I look forward to next year's conference with heightened anticipation and suggest that you book your places as soon as the programme is announced! My thanks to Alan Ward for his notes which have proved invaluable.

Sheila Broomfield