Food, Drink, and the Bishop in Medieval England, ca. 1100–ca. 1300

Food and drink played an important part in medieval piety, but to date most studies of this topic have focused on the food practices of medieval women. This article seeks to redress the balance by considering the significance of food and drink to religious men, through a case study of a culturally significant and well-documented group: the saintly bishops of medieval England. The food practices of these men were shaped by religious thought, but also by contemporary ideas about the body, gender, and social status. Ultimately, a holy man’s relationship with food and drink would influence his chances of canonization.