Editing Abbey (section)

== Monastic origins of the abbey ==
{{Main article|Monasticism}}

=== Ascetics and anchorites ===
The earliest known Christian monasteries were groups of huts built near the residence of a famous [[ascetic]] or other holy person. Disciples wished to be close to their holy man or woman in order to study their doctrine or imitate their way of life.<ref name=birt>{{harvnb|Birt|1907}}</ref>

In the earliest times of Christian monasticism, ascetics would live in social isolation but near a village church. They would subsist whilst donating any excess produce to the poor. However, increasing religious fervor about the ascetic's ways and or persecution of them would drive them further away from their community and further into solitude. For instance, the cells and huts of [[anchorite]]s (religious recluses) have been found in the deserts of [[Egypt]].<ref>{{cite EB9 |wstitle = Abbey |volume= I |last= Venables |first= Edmund |author-link= Edmund Venables |pages=10-22 |short= 1}}</ref>

In 312 AD, [[Anthony the Great]] retired to the [[Thebaid]] region of [[Egypt]] to escape the persecution of the Emperor [[Maximian]]. Anthony was the best known of the anchorites of his time due to his degree of austerity, sanctity and his powers of [[exorcism]]. The deeper he withdrew into the wilderness, the more numerous his disciples became. They refused to be separated from him and built their cells close to him. This became a first true monastic community. According to [[August Neander]], Anthony inadvertently became the founder of a new mode of living in common, [[Cenobitic|Coenobitism]].<ref>{{harvnb|Venables|1911}} cites  ''Church History'', iii. p. 316, Clark's translation.</ref>

=== Laurae and Coenobia ===
{{Main article|Pachomius}}
At Tabennae on the [[Nile]], in [[Upper Egypt]], Saint [[Pachomius]] laid the foundations for the coenobitical life by arranging everything in an organized manner. He built several monasteries, each with about 1,600 separate cells laid out in lines. These cells formed an encampment where the [[monk]]s slept and performed some of their manual tasks. There were nearby large halls such as the church, refectory, kitchen, infirmary, and guest house for the monk's common needs. An enclosure protecting all these buildings gave the settlement the appearance of a walled village. This layout, known as the ''laurae'' (lanes), became popular throughout [[Israel (region)|Israel]].

As well as the "laurae", communities known as "caenobia" developed. These were monasteries where monks lived a common life together. The monks were not permitted to retire to the cells of a laurae before they had undergone a lengthy period of training. In time, this form of common life superseded that of the older laurae.<ref name=birt/>

In the late 300s AD, [[Palladius of Galatia|Palladius]] visited the Egyptian monasteries. He described three hundred members of the coenobium of [[Panopolis]]. There were fifteen tailors, seven smiths, four carpenters, twelve camel-drivers and fifteen tanners. These people were divided into subgroups, each with its own "[[oeconomus]]". A chief steward was at the head of the monastery.

The produce of the monastery was brought to [[Alexandria]] for sale. The moneys raised were used to purchase stores for the monastery or were given away as charity. Twice in the year, the superiors of several [[Cenobitic monasticism|coenobia]] met at the chief monastery, under the presidency of an "[[archimandrite]]" (the "chief of the fold" from the word, "miandra" (a sheepfold)) in order to make their reports. [[Chrysostom]] recorded the workings of a coenobia in the vicinity of [[Antioch]] in Syria. The monks lived in separate huts ("kalbbia") which formed a religious hamlet on the mountainside. They were subject to an abbot, and observed a common rule.{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

=== Great Lavra, Mount Athos ===
{| align="right"
|+ '''Great Lavra Monastery, Mount Athos<br>(Lenoir, who named it ''Santa Laura'')'''{{sfn|Venables|1911}}
|-
| [[File:abbey 01.png]] ||
:A. Gateway
:B. Chapels
:C. Guesthouse
:D. Church
:E. Cloister
:F. Fountain
:G. Refectory
:H. Kitchen
:I. Monks' cells
:K. Storehouses
:L. Postern gate
:M. Tower
|}
The layout of the monastic coenobium was influenced by a number of factors. These included a need for defence, economy of space, and convenience of access. The layout of buildings became compact and orderly. Larger buildings were erected and defence was provided by strong outside walls. Within the walls, the buildings were arranged around one or more open courts surrounded by [[cloister]]s. The usual arrangement for monasteries of the [[Eastern world]] is exemplified in the plan of the convent of the [[Great Lavra]] at [[Mount Athos]].

With reference to the diagram, right, the convent of the [[Great Lavra]] is enclosed within a strong and lofty blank stone wall. The area within the wall is between three and four acres (12,000 and 16,000&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup>). The longer side is about {{convert|500|ft|m}} in length. There is only one entrance, which is located on the north side (A), defended by three iron doors. Near the entrance is a large tower (M), a constant feature in the monasteries of the [[Levant]] (Eastern [[Mediterranean]] area). There is a small [[postern]] gate at L.

The [[enceinte]] comprises two large open courts, surrounded with buildings connected with cloister galleries of wood or stone. The outer court, which is the larger by far, contains the [[granary|granaries]] and storehouses (K), the kitchen (H) and other offices connected with the [[refectory]] (G). Immediately adjacent to the gateway is a two-storied guest-house, entered from a cloister (C). The inner court is surrounded by a cloister (EE) from which one enters the monks' cells (II).

In the centre of this court stands the [[katholikon]] or conventual church, a square building with an [[apse]] of the cruciform domical [[Byzantine]] type, approached by a domed [[narthex]]. In front of the church stands a marble fountain (F), covered by a dome supported on columns.

Opening from the western side of the cloister, but actually standing in the outer court, is the refectory (G), a large cruciform (cross shaped) building, about {{convert|100|ft|m}} square, decorated within with [[fresco]]es of saints. At the upper end is a semicircular recess, similar to the [[triclinium]] of the [[Lateran Palace]] in [[Rome]], in which is placed the seat of the [[hegumenos]] or abbot. This apartment is chiefly used as a meeting place, with the monks usually taking their meals in their separate cells.{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

=== Adoption of the Roman villa plan ===
[[File:Monte Cassino Opactwo 1.JPG|300px|thumb|right|[[Monte Cassino|The Abbey of Monte Cassino]]]]
Monasticism in the [[Western world|West]] began with the activities of [[Benedict of Nursia]] (born 480 AD). Near [[Nursia]], a town in [[Perugia]], [[Italy]], a first abbey was established at [[Monte Cassino]] (529 AD).<ref name=EB/> Between 520 and 700 AD, monasteries were built which were spacious and splendid. All the [[city state]]s of [[Italy]] hosted a [[Benedictine]] convent as did the cities of [[England]], [[France]] and [[Spain]]. By 1415 AD, the time of the [[Council of Constance]], 15,070 Benedictine monasteries had been established.

The early Benedictine monasteries, including the first at Monte Cassino, were constructed on the plan of the [[Roman villa]]. The layout of the Roman villa was quite consistent throughout the [[Roman Empire]] and where possible, the monks reused available villas in sound repair. This was done at Monte Cassino.

However, over time, changes to the common villa lay out occurred. The monks required buildings which suited their religious and day-to-day activities. No overriding specification was demanded of the monks but the similarity of their needs resulted in uniformity of design of abbeys across Europe.<ref name=birt/> Eventually, the buildings of a Benedictine abbey were built in a uniform lay out, modified where necessary, to accommodate local circumstances.{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

=== Abbey of St Gall ===
[[File:Abbey st gall 1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The church of the Abbey of St Gall]]

The plan of the [[Abbey of Saint Gall]] (719 AD) in what is now Switzerland indicates the general arrangement of a [[Benedictine]] monastery of its day. According to the architect [[Robert Willis (architect)]] (1800–1875) the Abbey's lay out is that of a town of individual houses with streets running between them. The abbey was planned in compliance with the Benedictine rule that, if possible, a monastery should be self-contained. For instance, there was a mill, a [[bakehouse]], [[stable]]s, and [[cattle]] stalls.{{sfn|Venables|1911}} In all, there were thirty-three separate structures; mostly one level wooden buildings.

The Abbey church occupied the centre of a quadrangular area, about {{convert|430|ft|m}} square. On the eastern side of the north transept of the church was the "[[scriptorium]]" or writing-room, with a library above.{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

The church and nearby buildings ranged about the [[cloister]], a court about which there was a covered arcade which allowed sheltered movement between the buildings. The [[nave]] of the church was on the north boundary of the cloister.

On the east side of the cloister, on the ground floor, was the "[[pisalis]]" or "[[calefactory]]". This was a common room, warmed by flues beneath the floor. Above the common room was the [[dormitory]]. The dormitory opened onto the cloister and also onto the south transept of the church. This enabled the monks to attend nocturnal services.<ref name="EB" /> A passage at the other end of the dormitory lead to the "[[necessarium]]" (latrines).

On the south side of the cloister was the refectory. The kitchen, at the west end of the refectory was accessed via an anteroom and a long passage. Nearby were the bake house, brew house and the sleeping-rooms of the servants. The upper story of the refectory was called the "vestiarium" (a room where the ordinary clothes of the monks were stored).

On the western side of the cloister was another two-story building with a [[Semi-basement|cellar]] on the ground floor and the [[larder]] and store-room on the upper floor. Between this building and the church was a parlour for receiving visitors. One door of the parlour led to the cloisters and the other led to the outer part of the Abbey.

Against the outer wall of the church was a school and headmaster's house. The school consisted of a large schoolroom divided in the middle by a screen or partition, and surrounded by fourteen little rooms, the "dwellings of the scholars". The abbot's home was near the school.

To the north of the church and to the right of the main entrance to the Abbey, was a residence for distinguished guests. To the left of the main entrance was a building to house poor travellers and [[pilgrim]]s. There was also a building to receive visiting monks. These "[[hospitia]]" had a large common room or refectory surrounded by bed rooms. Each hospitium had its own brewhouse and bakehouse, and the building for more prestigious travellers had a kitchen and storeroom, with bedrooms for the guests' servants and stables for their horses.{{sfn|Venables|1911}} The monks of the Abbey lived in a house built against the north wall of the church.

The whole of the southern and western areas of the Abbey were devoted to workshops, stables and farm-buildings including stables, ox-sheds, goatstables, piggeries, and sheep-folds, as well as the servants' and labourers' quarters.

In the eastern part of the Abbey there was a group of buildings representing in layout, two complete miniature monasteries. That is, each had a covered cloister surrounded by the usual buildings such as the church, the refectory, the dormitory and so on. A detached building belonging to each contained a bathroom and a kitchen.

One of the miniature complexes was called the "oblati". These were the buildings for the novices. The other complex was a hospital or infirmary for the care of sick monks. This infirmary complex included a physician's residence, a [[physic garden]], a drug store, and a chamber for the critically ill. There was also a room for bloodletting and purging. The physic garden occupied the north east corner of the Abbey.{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

In the southernmost area of the abbey was the workshop containing utilities for [[shoemaker]]s, saddlers (or shoemakers, sellarii), cutlers and grinders, [[Trencher (tableware)|trencher]]-makers, [[Tanner (occupation)|tanners]], curriers, fullers, [[Smith (metalwork)|smiths]] and [[goldsmith]]s. The tradesmen's living quarters were at the rear of the workshop. Here, there were also farm buildings, a large granary and threshing-floor, mills, and malthouse. At the south-east corner of the Abbey were hen and duck houses, a poultry-yard, and the dwelling of the keeper. Nearby was the kitchen garden which complemented the physic garden and a cemetery [[orchard]].{{sfn|Venables|1911}}

Every large monastery had [[priory|priories]]. A priory was a smaller structure or entities which depended on the monastery. Some were small monasteries accommodating five or ten monks. Others were no more than a single building serving as residence or a farm offices. The outlying farming establishments belonging to the monastic foundations were known as "villae" or "granges". They were usually staffed by [[lay-brothers]], sometimes under the supervision of a monk.