Blog Posts Documenting Longterm work on Immersive moment two : "At the chapter house"
BLOG POSTS AND THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS PROJECT
July 2022
Permission in all things.
ALWAYS.
The pieces were ready but there was one more thing to do. Make sure I still had permission to read aloud in the Museum. Over a year had passed since I first inquired with Guest Services. I wanted to make sure this was still an option. I politely emailed and renewed my request and was VERY clear what I wanted to do and say. They did respond with a concern that this was a commercial endeavor or for professional gain. They also repeated that the Chapter House could not would not be a private filming session.
The concern was quickly explained away as I gave more details about my hobby and general love of research for the sake of research. I also expanded that the museum is a public place for all and I in no way was asking for any special treatment. However, it did give me pause and lead to some growth on my blog. I realized I needed to explain my work to those not in my hobby. In doing so , be useful and more accessible to a wider base.
There is another important permission related topic to address here.
(Disclaimer- I am not and have never been affiliated or representative of any museum or museum like setting. I have been a patron my whole life of various museums and my suggestions and in fact all content is mine for my own joy of sharing my experiences. That said here is some common sense)
You should NEVER just show up at a museum and assume you can film, take pictures, sing or read out loud. Museums are amazing places where anyone is able to marvel at what humanity can and has created. They are a place to learn, ponder and preserve. They have the burden of preserving that which time naturally seeks to break down while still making it accessible when possible. In short, you are a guest and as such should ask permission to do even what seems like not much. Museums have guest services specifically for this as well as other purposes.
I suggest starting first with reviewing the rules and regulations of the museum and the area you are interested in.
The rules are the rules. PERIOD. Do not ask to do what is already prohibited. The rules are set to ensure that long after we are gone others may be able to partake of the wonder that can be found there.
If what you want to do…for example read a passage in Latin… is in no way any threat to the art, and minimally if not ,not at all disruptive to daily operations then I suggest emailing them.
The worst that could happen is they say no.
And if they say no, remember to respect the decision and thank them for their time.
So, I Went to the Mall.
Finding the appropriate top for filming and addressing issues of being mindful of those around me and viewing.
Recreating a moment has many parts. One of these is wearing the appropriate clothing. You don’t read a poem from the 15th century wearing clothing from the 10th. For this project I had a unique quandary. To make and wear Benedictine robes would not be appropriate for several reasons, one being that is not my vocation. Another is that a museum is a public place and not a place where costuming should be worn.
How do I keep in the theming of my work but prevent offense, distraction or other possible negative outcomes?
The answer was at the mall.
No really.
While at the mall I saw a display with what looked like a simple knee length linen tee tunic worn with capri pants.
Simple linen tunic.
Undyed linen.
My filming would likely only show me from the waist up and so I had an idea.
I purchased two yards of five ounce natural dyed brown linen that was sourced from Europe ( country not known) . I already had a skein of hand spun linen thread.
I crafted a simple tunic using a sewing machine for the unseen seams. The neck I hand sewed using handmade thread. I would have like to have done this with a period needle to add to my experience. However, as this is not a sewing focused project but a part of another project I allowed myself some leeway.
Once the tunic was finished I wanted to wash the linen again using an organic soap the used herbs. No one can smell your video but I would know.
I could then wear this with my own jeans and have a period top that was simple in color, style and creation.
In this way, I could find a balance between my project and be mindful of not only others but the location itself.
What can I say?
Final words found.
The Chapter House of Benedictine Monasteries was so named because prior to or at the close of daily business a chapter from the Rule of St. Benedict was read. These readings varied in content but overwhelmingly dealt with aspects of daily life such as kitchen duty, clothing making and maintenance of tools and goods. They were a guidebook to ensure the monastery ran smoothly day to day, decade to decade, century to century.
In hopes to provide a more authentic presentation, I looked for a 17th century or earlier copy of the Rule ( originally written in 516). I used The Rule of Our Most Holy Father St. Benedict, Patriarch of Monks, from the Old English Edition of 1638. Edited in Latin and English. (London: Washbourne, 1875). This was a translation of the 1638 text that was easy to physically read and images of it from http://www.saintsbooks.net/books/St.%20Benedict%20-%20The%20Rule%20of%20-%20Latin%20and%20English%20Edition.pdf can be found after this entry. For future side projects I may look into older surviving manuscripts.
In the multipart research and performance piece of re-creating a moment in an extant location with extant words one of the most challenging parts was the selection of words. Recently I was able to revisit this and solve some personal quandaries. I did not in any way want to be reciting religious prayers or material, yet here was a part of a monastery. Further research led to understanding that many “ day to day” things were said and done here. And so I looked and found perhaps one of the most common and resounding passages.
Chapter 32 in the Rule of St. Benedict can be summed up as “ take care of things, put them away nicely and where they belong.”. If you have ever had a tool bench you can appreciate this even further or perhaps if you have tried to keep a home cleaned while offspring of all ages are home. Levity aside the text reads:
“1 The goods of the monastery, that is, its tools, clothing or anything else, should be entrusted to brothers whom the abbot appoints and in whose manner of life he has confidence.
2 He will, as he sees fit, issue to them the various articles to be cared for and collected after use.
3 The abbot will maintain a list of these, so that when the brothers succeed one another in their assigned tasks, he may be aware of what he hands out and what he receives back.
4 Whoever fails to keep the things belonging to the monastery clean or treats them carelessly should be reproved,
5 If he does not amend, let him be subjected to the discipline of the rule.”
After reading the passage I practiced Latin and scribed into a simply bound leather book. The book is a later addition to the project and will likely be “off screen”. Although traditionally I memorize work, for this I decided it should be read from a book because that is how it would have been done in period.
June 2022
Inspiration & Site - The Heart of the Project
The Stolen Room
When I was twelve, we moved to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Shortly after this, my mother discovered that students and residents could go one day a month to many of the local museums for free. A wonderful world suddenly opened and I had two favorites, the Higgins Armory Museum and the Worcester Art Museum. In the Worcester Art Museum (WAM) there was (and is) a room called “The Chapter House” and every time I stepped inside I felt as though the past were just a breath away. That feeling has never stopped in the past 30 years. However, recently the room has shown me a bit more.
Two years ago I walked into the Chapter House on a Sunday and it occurred to me that I had an extant place to recite an extant piece if I could get permission. The thought filled me with excitement for this chance to fuse my passion for research with my love of bardic arts and public speaking. After a carefully worded email I was granted the permission to do so, provided I let them know ahead of time, have no recording equipment other than my phone and follow all WAM rules.
I was excited and giddy at the thought. But then I had more thoughts…What was said in this room? Who had said it? Was it prayer or scripture? I realized that I didn’t understand the room as well as I wanted to despite being a lifelong visitor. So, I began to research.
The Chapter House was actually part of a larger Benedictine priory in La Bas- Nueil that was established in the 11th century. It was well known for its wine and shipped it for centuries to nobles all over Europe. It was desecrated during the French Revolution and the ruins still stand to this day. That is, they stand without the Chapter House. It was taken to Worcester in 1927 despite the pleas of the local people.
While this was fascinating I wanted to know more, so I emailed the librarian at the WAM and she sent me several scanned and interesting articles from the arrival of the stones to the present. This made me wonder about the ruins now? Where exactly were they? What was a Chapter House and how had it fit in as part of a larger piece of history?
Using the information provided by WAM, I was able to locate La Bas Nueil in the province of Berrie, France. Via Google Earth I could take a 360 degree tour and walk the streets bordering the ruins. I found a house built into them and a Bed and Breakfast in what was the stable. I reached out to the B&B owners to see if they knew more about the property and they have since put me in touch with the caretaker of the ruins.
In the process of virtually exploring the rest of the Priory, I was also able to see a small sign and confirm where the Chapter House had once stood. This combined with other research told me that it had opened to a garden and the priory had bordered large fields and vineyards.
It was at this point I returned to the Chapter House, stood inside and thought about looking out at the landscape I was now familiar with. I had a better sense of place. Now, I wanted to understand what happened in this room.
I returned to my research and discovered a chapter house was a room where two primary things occurred. Daily business was discussed and chapters of the Rule of Saint Benedict were read. It was not the chapel I had thought. The words that were spoken were indeed recorded and surprisingly not all were sacred.
May 2022
Choose Your Words Carefully
Initially, when I stood in the Chapter House I was overcome with ideas for spoken bardic pieces. The acoustics were amazing and it was an extant location. Chaucer had seemed a good fit but then I quickly felt it wrong once I began to understand what the Chapter House was.
Should I use a Psalm or other such piece? No, that was not the right choice either. I did not wish to offend others or be religious.
Wait! The Chapter House was a room for business! Perhaps the business done here had been recorded and could be read. With that thought I was off in search of the words that had once been spoken in the Chapter House.
My first inclination was to look for records and I reached out to a friend who is French and has worked as a librarian both there and in the United States. She was able to help me find new resources and that some of the records are still in existence from 1518 to the 1700’s. However, they are in France and can be seen but not scanned.
Knowing that the records were kept I searched for other records of surrounding priories. I was able to find a record of one 150 miles to the south. It had been translated in the late 1800’s and a reprint was available in French and Latin. Up until this point I had been using my own knowledge of French, the translations of my friend, and google translate but this was going to require Latin. Which, while translatable for me, takes more time than French.
Even though I had the records of another nearby Abbey, they were not the words of the Chapter house and so I searched more. I started with learning about the Benedictine Order. It was then I realized that sections of the Rule of Saint Benedict dealt with such things as kitchen duty, dormitories and daily life.
Reading a passage describing how one should dress or eat or work was both absolutely accurate and not expressly religious. An even more exciting realization was that each day of the year had a specific reading. It was possible for me to in fact read the passage that had been spoken on a specific day in that room.
April 2022
What to Wear?
The room was understood, the words were found but now there was a new path to explore carefully. What to wear to record the words? The robes of a Benedictine are very specific to their order and it would not be appropriate to even consider donning them for any reason. That was not an option. I did research on what they would have worn and undyed wool or linen seemed likely. Additionally, there were accounts of local people receiving worn out clothing from the monks.
A short tunic made of this fabric would be a good compromise. I could show my body from the waist up and wear a modern pair of leggings or jeans to avoid any confusion to a passerby. The final filmed product would then have me in a period appearing garments while still respecting the others around me.
Currently my next steps are to consult with others about this idea, then possibly find information on the linen and wool of central France and create my tunic.
March 2022
Until my next post-
What now? I need to once again reach out to the WAM and ensure my presence reading and recording would be welcome. A tunic needs to be sewn. And, perhaps the greatest challenge of filming will finally come to fruition.
Additionally, part of me would like very much to be able to accept the offer to explore the priory grounds in France and visit the archives. I feel there are still more stories to be told about this location.
Of course in the telling of this story there are many details I discovered in many sources and those are posted as well.
Works Cited Benedict, and Justin McCann. The Rule of Saint Benedict: In Latin and English. Martino Fine Books, 2019.
Benedict. The Rule of St. Benedict: In Latin and English. Sheed and Ward, 1972.
Benedictine Way of Life - Stella Maris College. https://stellamaris.nsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/benedictine-way-of-life.pdf.
Catherine. “Monuments Déplacés : La Salle Capitulaire Du Bas-Nueil, De Berrie (Vienne) à Worcester (Massachusetts)." Monuments Déplacés : La Salle Capitulaire Du Bas-Nueil, De Berrie (Vienne) à Worcester (Massachussetts) - Patrimoine Et Inventaire De Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Site De Poitiers, https://inventaire-poitou--charentes-fr.translate.goog/operations/les-monuments-disparus/266-decouvertes/1090-monuments-deplaces-la-salle-capitulaire-du-bas-nueil-de-berrie-vienne-a-worcester-massachussetts?_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc.
“Chapter House of the Benedictine Priory of Saint John at Le Bas-Nueil.” – Works – Worcester Art Museum, https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/15838/chapter-house-of-the-benedictine-priory-of-saint-john-at-le.
“The Chapter House.” Chapter House Durham World Heritage Site, https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/learn/architecture/cathedral/intro/chapter-house.
CHARLES, Dominique. “Prieuré Saint-Jean Du Bas-NueilBerrie (86).” Prieuré Saint-Jean Du Bas-Nueil - Berrie - Journées Du Patrimoine 2021, https://www-journees--du--patrimoine-com.translate.goog/SITE/le-prieure-saint-jean-ancienne-abb-194393.htm?_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc.
Crozet, R. “A Visit to La Bas Nueil.” Worcester Art Museum Bulletin , Mar. 1958.
Étienne Cholet Paul François. Cartulaire De L'Abbaye De St Étienne De Baigne. Clouzot, 1867.
Geneseo, SUNY. “Western Humanities I.” Lumen, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-geneseo-humanities1-1/chapter/the-rule-of-st-benedict-chapters-51-73/.
Google Maps, Google, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bas+Nueil,+86120+Berrie,+France/%C3%89glise+Saint-%C3%89tienne+de+Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde,+75+Rue+du+G%C3%A9n+de+Gaulle,+16360+Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde,+France/@46.2262692,-1.1900814,8z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x48078c1ea35ba9d9:0xc2ed75ea2993cd8e!2m2!1d-0.095898!2d47.062187!1m5!1m1!1s0x48006950e9f5dfa9:0x3c5314af0ad1bfca!2m2!1d-0.2356119!2d45.3802199.
http://www.vtech.fr, V-Technologies / Ligeo-Archives -. “Recherche Transversale.” Archives Départementales Des Deux-Sèvres Et De La Vienne, https://archives-deux-sevres-vienne.fr/archive/resultats/transversale/n:150?RECH_S=Prieure%2Bde%2BBas-Nueil%2BBerrie%2C%2BVienne&x=38&y=23&RECH_SELECTOR%5B0%5D=archives&RECH_SELECTOR%5B1%5D=etatcivil&RECH_SELECTOR%5B2%5D=recensement&RECH_SELECTOR%5B3%5D=matricule&RECH_SELECTOR%5B4%5D=electorale&RECH_SELECTOR%5B5%5D=cadastre&RECH_SELECTOR%5B6%5D=cartespostales&RECH_SELECTOR%5B7%5D=poilus&RECH_SELECTOR%5B8%5D=cartespostales&RECH_SELECTOR%5B9%5D=presse&RECH_SELECTOR%5B10%5D=doleance&RECH_SELECTOR%5B11%5D=contenus&type=transversale.
“Loire Escapes.” Loire Escapes, http://www.loireescapes.com/.
Marolleu , P. Information Request about Le Prieure Saint Jean Inbox, 31 Jan. 2022.
This was a response email from the local historian and owner of the remains of the rest of the priory the Chapter House was stolen from
Moisand , Edith. Liberian Edith Moisand- Links for Your Research, 12 Aug. 2021.
Morin, Rebecca. WAM Publications - Worcester Chapter House (Acc. 1927.46), 11 Aug. 2021.
“Prieuré Saint-Jean.” Cirkwi, 18 June 2020, https://www.cirkwi.com/fr/point-interet/1200702-prieure-saint-jean.
“The Rule.” OSB DOT ORG, 9 Sept. 2018, https://www.osb.org/our-roots/the-rule/.
Sidsel. “Medieval Fabrics and the Use of Colour, Part 2.” Postej & Stews, 6 Dec. 2019, http://postej-stew.dk/2019/05/medieval-fabrics-part-2/.
“Vestiges Du Prieuré Du Bas-Nueil à Berrie.” Retour à L'accueil De Monumentum, https://monumentum.fr/vestiges-prieure-bas-nueil-pa00105349.html.
Virtue, Cynthia. “Extant Clothing of the Middle Ages Assembled by by Cynthia Du Pr Argent.” Some Extant Clothing of the Middle Ages (Photos), https://www.virtue.to/articles/extant.html.
Worcester Art MuseumFollow this publisher - current follower count:48. “Access Magazine Fall 2012.” Issuu, 2 Jan. 2013, https://issuu.com/worcesterartmuseum/docs/access-magazine-fall-2012/20.
Winter 2021- 2022 Update on Recreating a Spoken Medieval Moment
( Reexamining the location)
About two years ago I was at the Worcester Art Museum in the Chapter House, a room moved in the 1920’s from a medieval Priory in France. Without going to Europe, I could stand in a medieval room, I had done so many times before in my life but this time I had a new idea. (you can see this room too by the way… https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/15838/chapter-house-of-the-benedictine-priory-of-saint-john-at-le )
What if I could speak some of the same words, stories or other works once read in this room? Could I make it echo again with sounds from its past? I reached out to the museum and they said that would be fine as long as I only used a cellphone and yes, I could be in researched garb. I was excited, elated and then I began to think. What WAS said there?
I had planned to use this as an Art and Science Bardic/Research project. I already loved research and it seemed a natural step to fuse bardic and research more closely.
However, with the creep of COVID and other constraints I realized that to properly create a moment from the past of THIS building I needed to do more research about it, the people in its past. I used the ideas and my early research to complete creating my A and S project for online display. In that document I talked about future steps, and for the past year, I have been working on them.
First, I talked to the museum librarian and asked if they had any more information beyond what was publicly listed. This led to her pulling the file on the Chapter House and opened doors to some interesting leads. I learned more about the origin of the room and changes that had been made to it over time by the Benedictines who lived there.
That file was a lead and a question. What happened to the rest of the priory? What was the story of the region it was in? Over the next year I accessed French Historical sites and ultimately was able to email an inn owner who now has space in what was once the stables of the priory
(https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?aid=340295;label=metatrivago-hotel-4814344_xqdz-cc2e24_los-1_nrm-1_gstadt-2_gstkid-0_curr-usd_lang-en-us_mcid-10_dev-dsk_losb-1_bw-18_bwb-15_pg-0_defdate-def_gsb-2_sl-sld_tstar-0_trat-0_tprc-0_tamnt-0_cod-1640234602_trvref-45b28286-b83b-4a7d-b155-643e795003ae;sid=4419a6d515779b0d3436a4b2e1de76d8;city=-1412084;expand_sb=1;group_adults=2;group_children=0;highlighted_hotels=4814344;hlrd=no_dates;keep_landing=1;no_rooms=1;redirected=1;source=hotel;srpvid=52dc2138c9260013&room1=A,A,; ). They were enlightening and helpful and passed my information to the current owner and caretaker of the rest of the priory ( here is one site https://monumentum.fr/vestiges-prieure-bas-nueil-pa00105349.html but I recommend walking around using google earth https://earth.google.com/web/search/3+Impasse+du+Moulin,+86120+Berrie,+France/@47.06193455,-0.09512529,45.08887863a,0d,60y,302.37163876h,76.56634821t,0r/data=CpQBGmoSZAolMHg0ODA3OGMxZTlmMTAyZWQzOjB4YjE5NWIzMzU0NGE3ZmY0NRkBiuze5YdHQCFAjdasjne4vyopMyBJbXBhc3NlIGR1IE1vdWxpbiwgODYxMjAgQmVycmllLCBGcmFuY2UYASABIiYKJAnokQW3xM01QBHlkQW3xM01wBnE2zdH7NMYwCFp947VyY1bwCIaChZSVGIxU2lhYU5yT3VOaWhmNTE4eXhBEAI )
To my excitement the owner and caretaker of the main ruins and property emailed me a few days ago. She has welcomed me to call her for more details in March when she returns to the property and even visit. Getting to rural France is not an option right now financially however I am hopeful she can use facetime and give me a virtual tour (and maybe someday I can find a way to see this remote and amazing ruin I feel I know).
On top of understanding the where and what I was trying to recreate, I also had some insight into what would have been said in that room. The more I researched the more I realized that in many senses the Chapter house was a business room. I was able to ask a friend who is a French librarian to help me inquire if the business records still existed and according to her they may. That was fascinating but still not a document I could read from ( yet… I have hope I can find out more from the caretaker in March).
In the meantime I did find Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Étienne de Baigne (en Saintonge), , an 1868 copy and translation of the happenings of an abbey about 100 miles to the south of the priory. They were both founded around 800 and existed till the French Revolution. So, while not the writings from “my site”, they are copies of extant work from the Benedictine order nearest to it. While some of it is in French, most of it is in Latin and is taking some time to translate but is fascinating. I opted to not read it online and was lucky to get a used reprint of it.
So, I have the place, I have a clearer idea of the words to speak and am closer to my final recording goal. Meanwhile I am working on how to translate the work of the past two years into an accessible and educational format. Short videos? Class notes and a class about how research is a search for the story of a thing we create? Another paper?
This update is a placeholder for that work and the next chapter of this bardic research journey. “Time Travel” is tricky because you have to really know the time and place and so many small things. However it is a fascinating trip!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
July 2022
Permission in all things.
ALWAYS.
The pieces were ready but there was one more thing to do. Make sure I still had permission to read aloud in the Museum. Over a year had passed since I first inquired with Guest Services. I wanted to make sure this was still an option. I politely emailed and renewed my request and was VERY clear what I wanted to do and say. They did respond with a concern that this was a commercial endeavor or for professional gain. They also repeated that the Chapter House could not would not be a private filming session.
The concern was quickly explained away as I gave more details about my hobby and general love of research for the sake of research. I also expanded that the museum is a public place for all and I in no way was asking for any special treatment. However, it did give me pause and lead to some growth on my blog. I realized I needed to explain my work to those not in my hobby. In doing so , be useful and more accessible to a wider base.
There is another important permission related topic to address here.
(Disclaimer- I am not and have never been affiliated or representative of any museum or museum like setting. I have been a patron my whole life of various museums and my suggestions and in fact all content is mine for my own joy of sharing my experiences. That said here is some common sense)
You should NEVER just show up at a museum and assume you can film, take pictures, sing or read out loud. Museums are amazing places where anyone is able to marvel at what humanity can and has created. They are a place to learn, ponder and preserve. They have the burden of preserving that which time naturally seeks to break down while still making it accessible when possible. In short, you are a guest and as such should ask permission to do even what seems like not much. Museums have guest services specifically for this as well as other purposes.
I suggest starting first with reviewing the rules and regulations of the museum and the area you are interested in.
The rules are the rules. PERIOD. Do not ask to do what is already prohibited. The rules are set to ensure that long after we are gone others may be able to partake of the wonder that can be found there.
If what you want to do…for example read a passage in Latin… is in no way any threat to the art, and minimally if not ,not at all disruptive to daily operations then I suggest emailing them.
The worst that could happen is they say no.
And if they say no, remember to respect the decision and thank them for their time.
So, I Went to the Mall.
Finding the appropriate top for filming and addressing issues of being mindful of those around me and viewing.
Recreating a moment has many parts. One of these is wearing the appropriate clothing. You don’t read a poem from the 15th century wearing clothing from the 10th. For this project I had a unique quandary. To make and wear Benedictine robes would not be appropriate for several reasons, one being that is not my vocation. Another is that a museum is a public place and not a place where costuming should be worn.
How do I keep in the theming of my work but prevent offense, distraction or other possible negative outcomes?
The answer was at the mall.
No really.
While at the mall I saw a display with what looked like a simple knee length linen tee tunic worn with capri pants.
Simple linen tunic.
Undyed linen.
My filming would likely only show me from the waist up and so I had an idea.
I purchased two yards of five ounce natural dyed brown linen that was sourced from Europe ( country not known) . I already had a skein of hand spun linen thread.
I crafted a simple tunic using a sewing machine for the unseen seams. The neck I hand sewed using handmade thread. I would have like to have done this with a period needle to add to my experience. However, as this is not a sewing focused project but a part of another project I allowed myself some leeway.
Once the tunic was finished I wanted to wash the linen again using an organic soap the used herbs. No one can smell your video but I would know.
I could then wear this with my own jeans and have a period top that was simple in color, style and creation.
In this way, I could find a balance between my project and be mindful of not only others but the location itself.
What can I say?
Final words found.
The Chapter House of Benedictine Monasteries was so named because prior to or at the close of daily business a chapter from the Rule of St. Benedict was read. These readings varied in content but overwhelmingly dealt with aspects of daily life such as kitchen duty, clothing making and maintenance of tools and goods. They were a guidebook to ensure the monastery ran smoothly day to day, decade to decade, century to century.
In hopes to provide a more authentic presentation, I looked for a 17th century or earlier copy of the Rule ( originally written in 516). I used The Rule of Our Most Holy Father St. Benedict, Patriarch of Monks, from the Old English Edition of 1638. Edited in Latin and English. (London: Washbourne, 1875). This was a translation of the 1638 text that was easy to physically read and images of it from http://www.saintsbooks.net/books/St.%20Benedict%20-%20The%20Rule%20of%20-%20Latin%20and%20English%20Edition.pdf can be found after this entry. For future side projects I may look into older surviving manuscripts.
In the multipart research and performance piece of re-creating a moment in an extant location with extant words one of the most challenging parts was the selection of words. Recently I was able to revisit this and solve some personal quandaries. I did not in any way want to be reciting religious prayers or material, yet here was a part of a monastery. Further research led to understanding that many “ day to day” things were said and done here. And so I looked and found perhaps one of the most common and resounding passages.
Chapter 32 in the Rule of St. Benedict can be summed up as “ take care of things, put them away nicely and where they belong.”. If you have ever had a tool bench you can appreciate this even further or perhaps if you have tried to keep a home cleaned while offspring of all ages are home. Levity aside the text reads:
“1 The goods of the monastery, that is, its tools, clothing or anything else, should be entrusted to brothers whom the abbot appoints and in whose manner of life he has confidence.
2 He will, as he sees fit, issue to them the various articles to be cared for and collected after use.
3 The abbot will maintain a list of these, so that when the brothers succeed one another in their assigned tasks, he may be aware of what he hands out and what he receives back.
4 Whoever fails to keep the things belonging to the monastery clean or treats them carelessly should be reproved,
5 If he does not amend, let him be subjected to the discipline of the rule.”
After reading the passage I practiced Latin and scribed into a simply bound leather book. The book is a later addition to the project and will likely be “off screen”. Although traditionally I memorize work, for this I decided it should be read from a book because that is how it would have been done in period.
June 2022
Inspiration & Site - The Heart of the Project
The Stolen Room
When I was twelve, we moved to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Shortly after this, my mother discovered that students and residents could go one day a month to many of the local museums for free. A wonderful world suddenly opened and I had two favorites, the Higgins Armory Museum and the Worcester Art Museum. In the Worcester Art Museum (WAM) there was (and is) a room called “The Chapter House” and every time I stepped inside I felt as though the past were just a breath away. That feeling has never stopped in the past 30 years. However, recently the room has shown me a bit more.
Two years ago I walked into the Chapter House on a Sunday and it occurred to me that I had an extant place to recite an extant piece if I could get permission. The thought filled me with excitement for this chance to fuse my passion for research with my love of bardic arts and public speaking. After a carefully worded email I was granted the permission to do so, provided I let them know ahead of time, have no recording equipment other than my phone and follow all WAM rules.
I was excited and giddy at the thought. But then I had more thoughts…What was said in this room? Who had said it? Was it prayer or scripture? I realized that I didn’t understand the room as well as I wanted to despite being a lifelong visitor. So, I began to research.
The Chapter House was actually part of a larger Benedictine priory in La Bas- Nueil that was established in the 11th century. It was well known for its wine and shipped it for centuries to nobles all over Europe. It was desecrated during the French Revolution and the ruins still stand to this day. That is, they stand without the Chapter House. It was taken to Worcester in 1927 despite the pleas of the local people.
While this was fascinating I wanted to know more, so I emailed the librarian at the WAM and she sent me several scanned and interesting articles from the arrival of the stones to the present. This made me wonder about the ruins now? Where exactly were they? What was a Chapter House and how had it fit in as part of a larger piece of history?
Using the information provided by WAM, I was able to locate La Bas Nueil in the province of Berrie, France. Via Google Earth I could take a 360 degree tour and walk the streets bordering the ruins. I found a house built into them and a Bed and Breakfast in what was the stable. I reached out to the B&B owners to see if they knew more about the property and they have since put me in touch with the caretaker of the ruins.
In the process of virtually exploring the rest of the Priory, I was also able to see a small sign and confirm where the Chapter House had once stood. This combined with other research told me that it had opened to a garden and the priory had bordered large fields and vineyards.
It was at this point I returned to the Chapter House, stood inside and thought about looking out at the landscape I was now familiar with. I had a better sense of place. Now, I wanted to understand what happened in this room.
I returned to my research and discovered a chapter house was a room where two primary things occurred. Daily business was discussed and chapters of the Rule of Saint Benedict were read. It was not the chapel I had thought. The words that were spoken were indeed recorded and surprisingly not all were sacred.
May 2022
Choose Your Words Carefully
Initially, when I stood in the Chapter House I was overcome with ideas for spoken bardic pieces. The acoustics were amazing and it was an extant location. Chaucer had seemed a good fit but then I quickly felt it wrong once I began to understand what the Chapter House was.
Should I use a Psalm or other such piece? No, that was not the right choice either. I did not wish to offend others or be religious.
Wait! The Chapter House was a room for business! Perhaps the business done here had been recorded and could be read. With that thought I was off in search of the words that had once been spoken in the Chapter House.
My first inclination was to look for records and I reached out to a friend who is French and has worked as a librarian both there and in the United States. She was able to help me find new resources and that some of the records are still in existence from 1518 to the 1700’s. However, they are in France and can be seen but not scanned.
Knowing that the records were kept I searched for other records of surrounding priories. I was able to find a record of one 150 miles to the south. It had been translated in the late 1800’s and a reprint was available in French and Latin. Up until this point I had been using my own knowledge of French, the translations of my friend, and google translate but this was going to require Latin. Which, while translatable for me, takes more time than French.
Even though I had the records of another nearby Abbey, they were not the words of the Chapter house and so I searched more. I started with learning about the Benedictine Order. It was then I realized that sections of the Rule of Saint Benedict dealt with such things as kitchen duty, dormitories and daily life.
Reading a passage describing how one should dress or eat or work was both absolutely accurate and not expressly religious. An even more exciting realization was that each day of the year had a specific reading. It was possible for me to in fact read the passage that had been spoken on a specific day in that room.
April 2022
What to Wear?
The room was understood, the words were found but now there was a new path to explore carefully. What to wear to record the words? The robes of a Benedictine are very specific to their order and it would not be appropriate to even consider donning them for any reason. That was not an option. I did research on what they would have worn and undyed wool or linen seemed likely. Additionally, there were accounts of local people receiving worn out clothing from the monks.
A short tunic made of this fabric would be a good compromise. I could show my body from the waist up and wear a modern pair of leggings or jeans to avoid any confusion to a passerby. The final filmed product would then have me in a period appearing garments while still respecting the others around me.
Currently my next steps are to consult with others about this idea, then possibly find information on the linen and wool of central France and create my tunic.
March 2022
Until my next post-
What now? I need to once again reach out to the WAM and ensure my presence reading and recording would be welcome. A tunic needs to be sewn. And, perhaps the greatest challenge of filming will finally come to fruition.
Additionally, part of me would like very much to be able to accept the offer to explore the priory grounds in France and visit the archives. I feel there are still more stories to be told about this location.
Of course in the telling of this story there are many details I discovered in many sources and those are posted as well.
Works Cited Benedict, and Justin McCann. The Rule of Saint Benedict: In Latin and English. Martino Fine Books, 2019.
Benedict. The Rule of St. Benedict: In Latin and English. Sheed and Ward, 1972.
Benedictine Way of Life - Stella Maris College. https://stellamaris.nsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/benedictine-way-of-life.pdf.
Catherine. “Monuments Déplacés : La Salle Capitulaire Du Bas-Nueil, De Berrie (Vienne) à Worcester (Massachusetts)." Monuments Déplacés : La Salle Capitulaire Du Bas-Nueil, De Berrie (Vienne) à Worcester (Massachussetts) - Patrimoine Et Inventaire De Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Site De Poitiers, https://inventaire-poitou--charentes-fr.translate.goog/operations/les-monuments-disparus/266-decouvertes/1090-monuments-deplaces-la-salle-capitulaire-du-bas-nueil-de-berrie-vienne-a-worcester-massachussetts?_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc.
“Chapter House of the Benedictine Priory of Saint John at Le Bas-Nueil.” – Works – Worcester Art Museum, https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/15838/chapter-house-of-the-benedictine-priory-of-saint-john-at-le.
“The Chapter House.” Chapter House Durham World Heritage Site, https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/learn/architecture/cathedral/intro/chapter-house.
CHARLES, Dominique. “Prieuré Saint-Jean Du Bas-NueilBerrie (86).” Prieuré Saint-Jean Du Bas-Nueil - Berrie - Journées Du Patrimoine 2021, https://www-journees--du--patrimoine-com.translate.goog/SITE/le-prieure-saint-jean-ancienne-abb-194393.htm?_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc.
Crozet, R. “A Visit to La Bas Nueil.” Worcester Art Museum Bulletin , Mar. 1958.
Étienne Cholet Paul François. Cartulaire De L'Abbaye De St Étienne De Baigne. Clouzot, 1867.
Geneseo, SUNY. “Western Humanities I.” Lumen, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-geneseo-humanities1-1/chapter/the-rule-of-st-benedict-chapters-51-73/.
Google Maps, Google, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bas+Nueil,+86120+Berrie,+France/%C3%89glise+Saint-%C3%89tienne+de+Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde,+75+Rue+du+G%C3%A9n+de+Gaulle,+16360+Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde,+France/@46.2262692,-1.1900814,8z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x48078c1ea35ba9d9:0xc2ed75ea2993cd8e!2m2!1d-0.095898!2d47.062187!1m5!1m1!1s0x48006950e9f5dfa9:0x3c5314af0ad1bfca!2m2!1d-0.2356119!2d45.3802199.
http://www.vtech.fr, V-Technologies / Ligeo-Archives -. “Recherche Transversale.” Archives Départementales Des Deux-Sèvres Et De La Vienne, https://archives-deux-sevres-vienne.fr/archive/resultats/transversale/n:150?RECH_S=Prieure%2Bde%2BBas-Nueil%2BBerrie%2C%2BVienne&x=38&y=23&RECH_SELECTOR%5B0%5D=archives&RECH_SELECTOR%5B1%5D=etatcivil&RECH_SELECTOR%5B2%5D=recensement&RECH_SELECTOR%5B3%5D=matricule&RECH_SELECTOR%5B4%5D=electorale&RECH_SELECTOR%5B5%5D=cadastre&RECH_SELECTOR%5B6%5D=cartespostales&RECH_SELECTOR%5B7%5D=poilus&RECH_SELECTOR%5B8%5D=cartespostales&RECH_SELECTOR%5B9%5D=presse&RECH_SELECTOR%5B10%5D=doleance&RECH_SELECTOR%5B11%5D=contenus&type=transversale.
“Loire Escapes.” Loire Escapes, http://www.loireescapes.com/.
Marolleu , P. Information Request about Le Prieure Saint Jean Inbox, 31 Jan. 2022.
This was a response email from the local historian and owner of the remains of the rest of the priory the Chapter House was stolen from
Moisand , Edith. Liberian Edith Moisand- Links for Your Research, 12 Aug. 2021.
Morin, Rebecca. WAM Publications - Worcester Chapter House (Acc. 1927.46), 11 Aug. 2021.
“Prieuré Saint-Jean.” Cirkwi, 18 June 2020, https://www.cirkwi.com/fr/point-interet/1200702-prieure-saint-jean.
“The Rule.” OSB DOT ORG, 9 Sept. 2018, https://www.osb.org/our-roots/the-rule/.
Sidsel. “Medieval Fabrics and the Use of Colour, Part 2.” Postej & Stews, 6 Dec. 2019, http://postej-stew.dk/2019/05/medieval-fabrics-part-2/.
“Vestiges Du Prieuré Du Bas-Nueil à Berrie.” Retour à L'accueil De Monumentum, https://monumentum.fr/vestiges-prieure-bas-nueil-pa00105349.html.
Virtue, Cynthia. “Extant Clothing of the Middle Ages Assembled by by Cynthia Du Pr Argent.” Some Extant Clothing of the Middle Ages (Photos), https://www.virtue.to/articles/extant.html.
Worcester Art MuseumFollow this publisher - current follower count:48. “Access Magazine Fall 2012.” Issuu, 2 Jan. 2013, https://issuu.com/worcesterartmuseum/docs/access-magazine-fall-2012/20.
Winter 2021- 2022 Update on Recreating a Spoken Medieval Moment
( Reexamining the location)
About two years ago I was at the Worcester Art Museum in the Chapter House, a room moved in the 1920’s from a medieval Priory in France. Without going to Europe, I could stand in a medieval room, I had done so many times before in my life but this time I had a new idea. (you can see this room too by the way… https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/15838/chapter-house-of-the-benedictine-priory-of-saint-john-at-le )
What if I could speak some of the same words, stories or other works once read in this room? Could I make it echo again with sounds from its past? I reached out to the museum and they said that would be fine as long as I only used a cellphone and yes, I could be in researched garb. I was excited, elated and then I began to think. What WAS said there?
I had planned to use this as an Art and Science Bardic/Research project. I already loved research and it seemed a natural step to fuse bardic and research more closely.
However, with the creep of COVID and other constraints I realized that to properly create a moment from the past of THIS building I needed to do more research about it, the people in its past. I used the ideas and my early research to complete creating my A and S project for online display. In that document I talked about future steps, and for the past year, I have been working on them.
First, I talked to the museum librarian and asked if they had any more information beyond what was publicly listed. This led to her pulling the file on the Chapter House and opened doors to some interesting leads. I learned more about the origin of the room and changes that had been made to it over time by the Benedictines who lived there.
That file was a lead and a question. What happened to the rest of the priory? What was the story of the region it was in? Over the next year I accessed French Historical sites and ultimately was able to email an inn owner who now has space in what was once the stables of the priory
(https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?aid=340295;label=metatrivago-hotel-4814344_xqdz-cc2e24_los-1_nrm-1_gstadt-2_gstkid-0_curr-usd_lang-en-us_mcid-10_dev-dsk_losb-1_bw-18_bwb-15_pg-0_defdate-def_gsb-2_sl-sld_tstar-0_trat-0_tprc-0_tamnt-0_cod-1640234602_trvref-45b28286-b83b-4a7d-b155-643e795003ae;sid=4419a6d515779b0d3436a4b2e1de76d8;city=-1412084;expand_sb=1;group_adults=2;group_children=0;highlighted_hotels=4814344;hlrd=no_dates;keep_landing=1;no_rooms=1;redirected=1;source=hotel;srpvid=52dc2138c9260013&room1=A,A,; ). They were enlightening and helpful and passed my information to the current owner and caretaker of the rest of the priory ( here is one site https://monumentum.fr/vestiges-prieure-bas-nueil-pa00105349.html but I recommend walking around using google earth https://earth.google.com/web/search/3+Impasse+du+Moulin,+86120+Berrie,+France/@47.06193455,-0.09512529,45.08887863a,0d,60y,302.37163876h,76.56634821t,0r/data=CpQBGmoSZAolMHg0ODA3OGMxZTlmMTAyZWQzOjB4YjE5NWIzMzU0NGE3ZmY0NRkBiuze5YdHQCFAjdasjne4vyopMyBJbXBhc3NlIGR1IE1vdWxpbiwgODYxMjAgQmVycmllLCBGcmFuY2UYASABIiYKJAnokQW3xM01QBHlkQW3xM01wBnE2zdH7NMYwCFp947VyY1bwCIaChZSVGIxU2lhYU5yT3VOaWhmNTE4eXhBEAI )
To my excitement the owner and caretaker of the main ruins and property emailed me a few days ago. She has welcomed me to call her for more details in March when she returns to the property and even visit. Getting to rural France is not an option right now financially however I am hopeful she can use facetime and give me a virtual tour (and maybe someday I can find a way to see this remote and amazing ruin I feel I know).
On top of understanding the where and what I was trying to recreate, I also had some insight into what would have been said in that room. The more I researched the more I realized that in many senses the Chapter house was a business room. I was able to ask a friend who is a French librarian to help me inquire if the business records still existed and according to her they may. That was fascinating but still not a document I could read from ( yet… I have hope I can find out more from the caretaker in March).
In the meantime I did find Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Étienne de Baigne (en Saintonge), , an 1868 copy and translation of the happenings of an abbey about 100 miles to the south of the priory. They were both founded around 800 and existed till the French Revolution. So, while not the writings from “my site”, they are copies of extant work from the Benedictine order nearest to it. While some of it is in French, most of it is in Latin and is taking some time to translate but is fascinating. I opted to not read it online and was lucky to get a used reprint of it.
So, I have the place, I have a clearer idea of the words to speak and am closer to my final recording goal. Meanwhile I am working on how to translate the work of the past two years into an accessible and educational format. Short videos? Class notes and a class about how research is a search for the story of a thing we create? Another paper?
This update is a placeholder for that work and the next chapter of this bardic research journey. “Time Travel” is tricky because you have to really know the time and place and so many small things. However it is a fascinating trip!
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