Paul Carley-Annear
Department: HASS
Discipline: History
Research Centre/Unit: Centre for Medieval Studies
Project Summary
My thesis explores the history of free-standing chapels of ease established during the late medieval period to support the religious needs of dispersed communities. These chapels were typically situated several miles away from the parish church to minimise the hardships faced by the parishioners while travelling through difficult terrain or harsh weather conditions.
The study underscores the unique historical richness of chapelries in two distinct counties, Cornwall and Herefordshire. These counties, positioned at the most southerly and westerly points from medieval English centres of power at London and Canterbury, hold a distinctive and captivating place in the narrative of medieval church history. Their geographical isolation and diverse communities, including secular, monastic, manorial, and castle communities, contribute to their historical richness, making them a fascinating subject of study.
This study focuses on the proliferation of chapels of ease by around 1250. During this time, the status of chapels of ease changed significantly as the newly constructed or reconstructed chapels became subordinate to their parish church. This resulted in conflicts related to parochial rights of baptism, marriage, last-rites and burial, staffing, finance, divine service, and advowsons. These conflicts sparked a series of disputes between diocesan authorities, lay lords, and communities. The evidence for these disputes can be found in chapel petitions and ordinances in late medieval episcopal registers.
These disputes primarily revolved around the provision of baptism and burial rights, a testament to the community's profound involvement in establishing and operating these chapels. For instance, chapelgoers, having constructed new chapels or rebuilt dilapidated ones with important new cemeteries, rallied behind lead parishioners and canon lawyers to secure necessary licences from episcopal authorities. Other disputes have been examined regarding the provision of staffing, finance, maintenance, divine service, and advowsons, further highlighting the community's unwavering dedication to these chapels.
This study equally argues that relationships between chapelries, other institutions, and jurisdictions within the church were often cordial, challenging the common perception of conflicts in medieval church history. For example, diocesan authorities freely granted parochial rights, including burial and baptism, in cooperation with local lay lords and communities. The theme of cooperation is further explored through the amalgamation of some chapels in Herefordshire, the provision of indulgences, chantry space, gilds and annual celebrations honouring dedications and feast days between church and chapel.
This thesis focuses on liturgical practice within late medieval chapels of ease. These practices include baptismal, matrimonial, burial, churching, and ordination ceremonies. Importantly, divine services, such as celebrating feast days and consecration days, are also considered. The research also considers the provision of divine service, examined through liturgical texts and ornaments recorded in inventories of chapels of ease during episcopal visitations or disputes.
The reformation and its profound impact on parish structures are also examined, shedding light on the resilience of some chapels of ease. This thesis seeks to explain why many chapels of ease disappeared due to the far-reaching reforming statutes while others survived and evolved into parish churches that have left a lasting imprint on our history through their adaptability and significance, underscoring the monumental impact of the Reformation.
Supervisory Team
Professor James Clark and Professor Catherine Rider
Wider Research Interests
In 2023, I had the opportunity to present two papers at prestigious academic conferences. I presented at the annual Nicholas Orme Lecture Symposium at Exeter University and the International Medieval Congress at Leeds University. Both papers focused on medieval chapels of ease and their positions in disputes regarding parochial rights of baptism and burial between the years c.1250 and 1600.2024. My paper, 'Bodies, Burial and Boundaries: Where to Bury the Medieval Chapelgoers,' was presented at the annual postgraduate symposium at Bristol University with the theme 'Bodies and Boundaries'.
My research interests revolve around any medieval chapel. I am developing a working knowledge of canon law relating to chapels from the Anglo-Saxon period to the immediate post-Reformation period, a central theme to my studies. The process by which a chapel of ease became a parish church is also important to my research. I also find early and late medieval burial practices particularly fascinating, and I endeavour to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to this topic through medieval literature, art and archaeology.
