A look inside an Anchorite Squint

Whilst I was poking around a church recently I came across one of these (see photo below). It is an Anchorite Squint.

Pious and and Holy people from faiths around the world have long sought solitude to get closer to God. usually this would take the form of living on top of a mountain or creating a little hermitage on an island or deep in the desert. What about those who lived in a city or were unable to travel for more mundane earthly reasons? In that case in medieval Britain at least you could become an Anchorite or Anchoress.

An Anchorite Squint in St Johns Church, Newcastle Upon Tyne




A Bishop blesses an Anchoress



In the medieval world, those who chose to live a solitary life were greatly respected. Anchorites lived a solitary life in a cell attached to a church where they stayed living a life of prayer with the Eucharist as their focus.

Although solitaries, they were often searched out for their wisdom and counsel such as Julian of Norwich, perhaps the most famous English Anchorite. Hermits were also solitaries, but not fixed to a particular place and many wandered the country offering their prayers and counsel.

The oldest surviving book in English written by an Anchoress. St Julian was a leading Christian mystic.

With the Eucharist as their focus, the anchorite would require a squint that allowed them to receive the Eucharist and have a good view of the Mass as it progressed, but at the same time remain unseen by the congregation. Many anchorite cells or reclosoriums were connected to the church in such a way that the squint was placed in the apse, which guaranteed a good view of the altar while leaving the anchorite unable to be seen by the congregation. The squint would also have allowed for food and other items to be handed in, and also for counselling or praying with the people who sought them out so was a slightly deeper and larger opening than the other forms of squint.

When the anchorite first entered their cell a form of funeral was held with psalms from the Office of the Dead sung, the doorway was sealed up and the Anchorite remained there for the rest of their life. So for the anchorite, the squint was life-sustaining: nourished spiritually by observing and receiving the Eucharist, and dispensing wisdom; nourished bodily by food and the reception of other physical requirements such as, for example, pens and paper if they chose to write down their thoughts.

I always find such piety and devotion fascinating though speaking for myself, I can’t help but think a life-time of physically helping those in need might be of more practical use but then devoting your life to God in this way would back then be undoubtedly thought to be a Higher Good.

About Stephen Liddell

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6 Responses to A look inside an Anchorite Squint

  1. ThingsHelenLoves says:

    What a strange but fascinating practice. I’ve heard the term ‘squint’ used for a tiny window but had no idea of the origins of the word or the world behind it. It’s a difficult thing to get your head around from a modern day view point, isn’t it?

    Have to say I’m with you on the helping out thing too, I’m a firm believer in getting out and doing something.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yes, it seems to me a rather crazy thing to do as without making fun of anyones beliefs, surely one is basically good enough to go to heaven or not. Maybe they didn’t want to take any chances but in that case I’d say it is the people bringing food and water who are more deserving. I did think when writing it what would happen if having spent your whole life in a Squint that the Angels send you away from heaven for not actively doing anything positive for the world.


  2. My grandmother (herself a very pious RC woman) used to say, “It takes all kinds”. Some people help out by getting out & doing things & some people help out by letting people come to them. It takes ALL kinds.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Contractions of Fate says:

    I came across this concept a while ago, either on one of your blogs or somewhere else, where a famous Anchoress was mentioned. I’d never heard of the idea, so I looked it up on Wikipedia etc.

    It’s incredible some of the barking mad things people will do for religion.

    Liked by 1 person

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