Medieval manhandling anyone?

Dr Monk continues with his highlights from Rochester Cathedral

I was asked by the volunteers manager at Rochester Cathedral, the excellent Lisa Johnson, to make a presentation to the volunteers about Custumale Roffense​, the thirteenth-century Rochester customs book, a book about the dues and rents owed the monks at St Andrew's Priory. It's one of numerous medieval books located in the cathedral's newly refurbished library, and it's fascinating.

​There were a number in the audience who work as live interpreters, taking on the personas of monks and nuns from medieval Kent, educating and entertaining visitors at the same time. With them in mind, I thought I would include a couple of unusual, shall we say, practical texts from the customs book which they may or may not wish to incorporate in some way into their performances.

​Whether my choices were a good thing, I'll leave it up to you decide. Just click on the video above to see some of the strange things inside the Rochester customs book.

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