Anchorites

Anchorites, or anchoresses, are Christians who withdraw from ordinary society to live a life of contemplation in seclusion. Typically they reside in a small chamber or cell called an anchorhold, often attached to a church. The life centers on vows of stability of place, prayer, ascetic discipline, and obedience to ecclesiastical authority, with limited outside contact.

The practice developed in late antiquity and flourished in medieval Western Europe, especially in England, France, and Germany, from the 11th to the 14th centuries. While both men and women could become anchorites, the vocation was particularly common among women, who sought a cloistered life within the parish church’s precincts.

Daily life for an anchorite revolved around prayer, reading, and spiritual study. The cell functioned as their entire world, but they could listen to or participate in church services through a grille or window and receive visitors, food, and counsel through the same point of contact. The anchorite’s status was ordinarily confirmed by a bishop or priest, and the anchorhold was maintained by the local community that supplied necessities.

Notable anchoresses include Christina of Markyate (late 11th–early 12th century) and Julian of Norwich (14th century), whose writings reflect the inward focus of anchoress life and its influence on medieval mysticism. The tradition contributed to devotional literature and shaped religious culture through personal revelations, prayers, and guidance offered from within the walls.

The practice declined with social and ecclesiastical changes in the late medieval and early modern periods, though surviving anchorholds remain as historical architectural features and cultural legacies.