Description
Book SynopsisThis is a fascinating study of religious culture in England from 1050 to 1250. Drawing on the wealth of material about religious belief and practice that survives in the chronicles, the book challenges prevailing assumptions and sheds light on belief during a period in which the religious landscape was transformed.
Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'This important book is marked by sophisticated reflection, thorough and wide use of sources, and crisp writing. … Watkins's views are often persuasive as well as original, and they ought to provoke much discussion.' Church History
'History and the Supernatural in Medieval England is a welcome addition to the literature on twelfth-century culture and a stimulating intervention into debates about medieval religion and historiography … [Watkin's] discussion is unfailingly provocative, clear-eyed and engaging. Combined with the chapter studies of saints, magical powers, and the dead, this book has much to teach us; it should be required reading for anyone interested in these topics.' The Journal of Ecclesiastical History
Table of ContentsPreface; Note on the text; List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1. Thinking about the supernatural; 2. Inventing pagans; 3. Prayers, spells and saints; 4. Special powers and magical arts; 5. Imagining the dead; 6. Thinking with the supernatural; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.
