THE object of this little book is to attract the ordinary reader to the subject of English monastic buildings. I have begun, therefore, with the cloister as the centre of daily life, and have put off till towards the end a general sketch of monastic history and an account of the various Orders. The title of the book is not strictly accurate, as the regular canons as well as the monks are included. The life and buildings of the two bodies, however, have so many points in common that it is impossible to treat them separately. The friars are scarcely mentioned, for their origin and ideals, and to some extent their buildings, are very different from those of the monks.

Monastic life is so closely connected with monastic buildings, and adds so much human interest to them, that I have borne it constantly in mind. It may be objected that there are too many quotations, but all are from original authorities. The student of mediaeval monasteries must, for all time, be indebted mainly to the Rule of St Benedict, The Rites of Durham, and the Customaries of various houses. It has seemed to me far more interesting to give the actual words of these, or translations, rather than to attempt paraphrases of them. I have made very full use of Mr J. W. Clark's delightful book on Barnwell, through the kindness of his son, Mr E. Mellish Clark, and his publisher's son, Mr G. Brimley Bowes.