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Norman Church - Coggle Diagram
Norman Church
Leadership and Loyalty
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By 1087, almost every bishop and abbot had been replaced with a Norman. Most famously, the English Archbishop Stigand was removed in 1070 and replaced by Lanfranc, a loyal and educated Norman monk.
Lanfranc worked closely with William to reform and centralise the Church. All bishops now had to swear loyalty directly to the king. The Church helped to promote the idea that William had been chosen by God to rule, and that to disobey him was to sin against the Church.
Organisation
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He set up a strict hierarchy, where bishops had clear authority over their priests.
Church leaders were expected to live more moral and religious lives, with rules on celibacy and training.
Church courts were introduced to deal with clergy separately from ordinary people. This gave the Church its own legal system and more independence from local lords.
However, many everyday religious customs continued. People still went to parish churches, followed the Church calendar, and believed in the same Christian teachings as before.
Church Buildings
One of the most visible signs of Norman change was the construction of huge stone cathedrals and monasteries, replacing the old wooden Anglo-Saxon churches. These buildings were built in the Romanesque style, with rounded arches, thick walls, and massive towers. Famous examples include:
Durham Cathedral (Begun in 1093) Canterbury Cathedral (rebuilt after 1070)
Ely Cathedral, and Norman additions to Winchester
These cathedrals were not just places of worship, they were symbols of Norman authority, showing the power of both the Church and the king. They were often built in or near castles, reinforcing Norman control over local areas.
Parish Churches
While cathedrals were the centres of Church power, parish churches were the heart of local religious life. After 1066, many of these were rebuilt in stone by local Norman lords who wanted to show their piety, wealth, and authority.
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Funded and controlled by local landowners, who chose the priest and collected church income.
Played a central role in births, marriages, funerals, and festivals.
Helped spread Norman values, as services were conducted under the new Church rules set by Lanfranc and Norman bishops.
Their architecture, even in small villages, began to reflect the Romanesque style, connecting even remote areas to Norman cultural influence.
Although Christian beliefs and rituals continued, the rebuilding of parish churches in stone was a clear visual sign of Norman control, even in the most rural parts of England.