Jane Cartwright – författare

A thorough and valuable study of the role of the woman in Welsh history by means of medieval literary and visual evidence, providing an insight into the attitudes of Welsh society towards female purity and sanctity, and the social, religious, literary and cultural ideas of the age. 9 black-and-white and 11 colour plates.

This illuminating volume sheds light on the religious women of medieval Wales, drawing on a wide range of sources from saints' lives and native poetry to holy wells and visual imagery. "Feminine Sanctity and Spirituality in Medieval Wales" explores the meanings, manifestations, and related iconography of feminine sanctity in a specifically Welsh context, including Welsh sources on the Virgin Mary, valuable insights into the history of Welsh nunneries, and commentary on some of the lesser-known Welsh women saints such as Dwynwen and Tudful. Of interest to anyone working in the field of medieval Christendom and women's studies, this volume draws powerful connections between Welsh source material and discoveries throughout England and Continental Europe.

The cult of St Ursula and the 11,000 virgins was one of the most popular and relic-rich of all saints’ cults in the medieval period. This volume constitutes the first interdisciplinary collection of essays in English to explore the development and transmission of the legend of St Ursula in detail, considering a wealth of different sources including physical remains, literary texts, artistic representations and medieval music.