Chantry Chapels and Medieval Strategies for the Afterlife

This book explores the role of chantry chapels in medieval society, revealing their significance in shaping beliefs about the afterlife and their architectural legacy.

This in-depth study reveals how Chantry Chapels and Medieval Strategies for the Afterlife were devised as medieval strategies for the afterlife and were one of the most important and influential institutions of the medieval period. Beliefs in the afterlife dominated the images, literature, and liturgy of medieval church and society. In particular, the concept of purgatory – a penitential state where the soul was purged of sin and therefore able to attain eventual salvation – was a central element. Barring a life of extraordinary saintliness, most medieval people anticipated a long stay in purgatory. However, this time could be lessened through various strategies, including the organization of a range of memorial and commemorative practices and, particularly, the foundation of chantry chapels. These structures were often outstanding additions to parish and monastic church spaces and, despite the ravages of the Reformation, many still survive. These structures, much altered with time, are still a noticeable feature of many churches and cathedrals.

This book offers a thematic approach to such monuments, combining archaeological approaches with relevant documentary sources and discussing aspects of chantry chapel foundation, design, and spatial arrangements, as well as their origins and the effects the Reformation had on these constructions. It will also consider the various different types of chantry chapel including those in colleges, churches, cathedrals, bridges, and hospitals. This is a fascinating study of monuments that were devised as a strategy to improve the afterlife and were one of the most important and influential institutions of the medieval period.

Chantry Chapels and Medieval Strategies for the Afterlife provides a comprehensive exploration of how these chapels shaped medieval society's understanding of life, death, and the afterlife, revealing their lasting significance in both historical and architectural contexts.