There is much to admire.There are, for example, fascinating details on such topics as bells and bell-ringing; the monks'employment of minstrels,water clocks, windmills and ruby rings; the cult and profits of the Bury saints; the problems that arose from allowing Cistercians to legislate on the diet of unreformed Benedictine monks; and a whole host of other such things. No one knows the Bury source materials better than Gransden. Few people have done more to broadcast their significance.

• Samson's biographer, Jocelin of Brackland (de Brakelond), and his workSamson's early life and careerSamson's election to the abbacyThe early years of Samson's abbacy and reform of estate managementConflict with the governmentRelations with the town of Bury St EdmundsSamson and secular lawSamson and the knights of St EdmundRelations with the Angevin kingsSamson and the papacySamson as a builderReligious and intellectual life under SamsonSamson's death and burialThe vacancy, 1211-1215, and election of Hugh of NorthwoldThe Abbots 1215-1256Observance of the Rule of St BenedictLearningBooksBuildingsSt Edmunds' liberties and the crownHenry III and the cult of St EdmundAbbreviations and Select bibliographyIndex

There is much to admire.There are, for example, fascinating details on such topics as bells and bell-ringing; the monks'employment of minstrels,water clocks, windmills and ruby rings; the cult and profits of the Bury saints; the problems that arose from allowing Cistercians to legislate on the diet of unreformed Benedictine monks; and a whole host of other such things. No one knows the Bury source materials better than Gransden. Few people have done more to broadcast their significance.

• Samson's biographer, Jocelin of Brackland (de Brakelond), and his workSamson's early life and careerSamson's election to the abbacyThe early years of Samson's abbacy and reform of estate managementConflict with the governmentRelations with the town of Bury St EdmundsSamson and secular lawSamson and the knights of St EdmundRelations with the Angevin kingsSamson and the papacySamson as a builderReligious and intellectual life under SamsonSamson's death and burialThe vacancy, 1211-1215, and election of Hugh of NorthwoldThe Abbots 1215-1256Observance of the Rule of St BenedictLearningBooksBuildingsSt Edmunds' liberties and the crownHenry III and the cult of St EdmundAbbreviations and Select bibliographyIndex

There is much to admire.There are, for example, fascinating details on such topics as bells and bell-ringing; the monks'employment of minstrels,water clocks, windmills and ruby rings; the cult and profits of the Bury saints; the problems that arose from allowing Cistercians to legislate on the diet of unreformed Benedictine monks; and a whole host of other such things. No one knows the Bury source materials better than Gransden. Few people have done more to broadcast their significance.

• Samson's biographer, Jocelin of Brackland (de Brakelond), and his workSamson's early life and careerSamson's election to the abbacyThe early years of Samson's abbacy and reform of estate managementConflict with the governmentRelations with the town of Bury St EdmundsSamson and secular lawSamson and the knights of St EdmundRelations with the Angevin kingsSamson and the papacySamson as a builderReligious and intellectual life under SamsonSamson's death and burialThe vacancy, 1211-1215, and election of Hugh of NorthwoldThe Abbots 1215-1256Observance of the Rule of St BenedictLearningBooksBuildingsSt Edmunds' liberties and the crownHenry III and the cult of St EdmundAbbreviations and Select bibliographyIndex