Medieval Worship

The mid 11th century to the end of the 15th century was a period in the world’s history when many, often dramatic, changes took place.

Countries such as England suffered conquest and with that came cultural and political upheaval. As a result, the nature of worship in medieval England also changed. Places of worship were built differently to before and the way society used and regarded them evolved on a different level.

It is true to say that medieval worship, irrespective of country, touched the lives of everyone in medieval society – from kings, emperors and the political ‘elite’ of the time right down to the poorest peasants working the land and living the simplest and harshest of lives. It is because of this that we have so rich a depth of architecture, tradition and knowledge relating to medieval worship.

(Above right: Hexham Abbey in Northumberland)