Music and Liturgy in Medieval Britain and Ireland

Reveals the rich liturgical ecology of medieval Britain and Ireland and the religious and lay communities who shaped it.

The book is for scholars and students from across the humanities who wish to understand the varieties of liturgical culture in medieval Britain and Ireland. The contributors discuss how this rich corpus of music, texts and ritual developed through personal, political and professional networks of monastic, diocesan and lay communities.From music written in praise of Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and English saints to the selection of Gospel readings by the Dominicans, this book introduces readers to the richness of medieval liturgical culture from across Britain and Ireland. Each of its three main sections opens with a chapter that offers a contextual frame for its key themes. With contributions from leading experts in pre-Reformation music and its sources, the book's focus on Insular liturgy – rather than that of only one part of Britain or Ireland – allows readers to learn about the devotional, political and creative networks at play in shaping liturgical practices: personal, secular, monastic, lay, and professional. The opening part includes broader discussions of Uses, including that of Salisbury, and case studies explore Insular witnesses to devotional activities in honour of both local cults and widely known figures, including St Columba, St Margaret, St Katherine, and the Magi.