Normans impact on towns, churches and monasteries

Normans impact on towns, churches and monasteries

Importance of Churches

• Owned lots of land
• Churches were very economically powerful
• Source of power e.g. papal banner
• Helped the government e.g. writing scripts to pass laws as they were literate
• Gave king military and tax

Why did monasteries need reform? 

• Had to rely on the local lord too much for land to grow crops (he often took all the money, causing poverty)
• Monks didn't obey rules properly - Weren't vegetarian, wore rich clothing, not traditional enough
• Monasteries in decline due to Viking invasions
• Too much secular interference

William…