De Sanctimoniali de Wattun
Encyclopedia
De Sanctimoniali de Wattun or the On the Nun of Watton is a 12th century miracle
story, describing events which took place in Yorkshire
in the mid-12th century at the nunnery of Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire
. It is also called A Certain Wonderful Miracle.
De Sanctimoniali de Wattun survives in one manuscript, MS Corpus Christi College 139
. It is thought to have been written around 1160. The author is usually thought of as the Cistercian abbot Ailred of Rievaulx
, an identification that is probable if not certain. The author's source for the events described were the older nuns of the monastery.
It is set in the Gilbertine nunnery of Watton, and tells the story of the Nun of Watton
. The author related that as a four-year old girl, she was given to the nunnery by Henry Murdac
, Archbishop of York, but failed to embrace the religious life with much enthusiasm. Finally, she begins an affair with a lay brother, becoming pregnant. After the other anchoresses discover the affair, she escapes being burned to death or skinned alive and is locked in a cell, before being forced to castrate her ex-lover. Back in her cell, God intervenes, ends her pregnacy and frees her of her chains, events which the community came to recognise as miracles.
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
story, describing events which took place in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in the mid-12th century at the nunnery of Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Watton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is situated on the A164 road, about north of Beverley and south of Driffield. According to the 2001 UK census the civil parish of Watton had a population of 238....
. It is also called A Certain Wonderful Miracle.
De Sanctimoniali de Wattun survives in one manuscript, MS Corpus Christi College 139
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 139
Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 139 is a northern English manuscript compiled in c. 1170. Apart from preliminary additions , it contains two separate volumes, comprising 180 folios in total. The original first volume has 165 folios in twenty gatherings, about half of which are occupied by the...
. It is thought to have been written around 1160. The author is usually thought of as the Cistercian abbot Ailred of Rievaulx
Ailred of Rievaulx
Aelred , also Aelred, Ælred, Æthelred, etc., was an English writer, abbot of Rievaulx , and saint.-Life:...
, an identification that is probable if not certain. The author's source for the events described were the older nuns of the monastery.
It is set in the Gilbertine nunnery of Watton, and tells the story of the Nun of Watton
Nun of Watton
The Nun of Watton was the alleged central protagonist of a drama at a Gilbertine abbey in Yorkshire, recorded by St. Ailred of Rievaulx in De Sanctimoniali de Wattun. In this story of twelfth-century life, the nun in question was admitted to the holy life as a toddler...
. The author related that as a four-year old girl, she was given to the nunnery by Henry Murdac
Henry Murdac
Henry Murdac was abbot of Fountains Abbey and Archbishop of York in medieval England,-Early life:Murdac was a native of Yorkshire. He was friendly with Archbishop Thurstan of York, who secured his promotion in the cathedral chapter of York Minster, however Murdac resigned soon afterwards when...
, Archbishop of York, but failed to embrace the religious life with much enthusiasm. Finally, she begins an affair with a lay brother, becoming pregnant. After the other anchoresses discover the affair, she escapes being burned to death or skinned alive and is locked in a cell, before being forced to castrate her ex-lover. Back in her cell, God intervenes, ends her pregnacy and frees her of her chains, events which the community came to recognise as miracles.