Further reading

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Monasteries in the Landscape by Mick Aston (Tempus, 2000) £17.99
This is a revised, rewritten and extensively updated edition of Mick Aston's 1993 book Monasteries (long since out of print), which focused on the place of the monasteries in the British landscape. In this new book he explains how and why monasticism developed in Britain and why monasteries were placed where they were. The book looks beyond the closed world of the monastery, abbey or priory, to examine their agricultural, industrial and commercial activities that had a huge impact on the surrounding countryside and towns.
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Cistercian Europe: Architecture of contemplation by Terryl N Kinder (Cistercian Publications, 2002) US price $70
Co-published with Cistercian Publications in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this large format and beautifully illustrated volume provides a complete introduction to the Cistercians' medieval abbeys and the monastic order that created them.
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Medieval Monasteries by Patrick Greene (Continuum, 2005) paperback £27.99
This new and updated edition provides an accessible account of the archaeology of medieval monastic houses throughout Britain and Ireland. As well as discussing many of the advances made by research over the last two decades, innovative methods of archaeological investigation are described, and examples of good practice in the preservation of sites and their interpretation to visitors are provided. Suggestions for further research, examples of outstanding monastic sites to visit, a glossary of terms, a comprehensive bibliography and an index are also included.
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Discovering Abbeys and Priories by Geoffrey Wright (Shire, 1998) paperback £5.99
This user-friendly handbook clarifies the difference between abbeys and priories, traces the history of monasteries from Anglo-Saxon times to the dissolution, and describes the different monastic orders. Considerable reference is made to sites open to the public.
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Abbeys and Priories by Glyn Coppack (Batsford/English Heritage, 1990) paperback £15.99
This well-illustrated introduction to the archaeology of monasteries explains the development of the variations on the familiar layout of church and cloisters; it discusses the monastic precincts and such fundamental topics as the drainage and sanitation.
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Life in a Medieval Abbey by Tony McAleavy (English Heritage, 1996) paperback £6.95
Colourful picture book explaining monasticism in simple terms, from a 'who's who' of medieval monks to an evaluation of the political role of the church in medieval England. Distinguished from other guides by some brilliant reconstruction paintings.
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