William the Conqueror, Part 5, The Church

By 1070, William began a significant Norman reform of the Church. William replaced Anglo-Saxon bishops and abbots with Normans, who then became feudal lords over church property. Those living on church lands had to provide military service to the king. English papal decrees required William’s approval, as did bishops seeking to travel outside of England. Clerical celibacy became a moral and spiritual standard for bishops following Roman discipline. Grand Romanesque structures replaced the simple church designs of the Anglo-Saxons, symbolizing faith and authority. 

Before these changes, Anglo-Saxon monasteries played a pivotal role in shaping the development of learning, literacy, and land ownership. Bishops and abbots wielded political influence, often guiding the royal court. Some parish priests were married with children. Sons frequently followed them into the clergy. Although the Church encouraged celibacy, it did not enforce it as a requirement. In rural communities, priests were an integral part of village life. The communities were unhappy when William made this change.

Under King Edgar in the 10th century, monasteries adhered to the principles of Benedictine monasticism. Once insular, the English Church now became involved in European politics and the Gregorian Papal Reform Movement. William and bishops like Lanfranc and Anselm adopted those ideals. This shift centered on power, property, and control, not morality. Celibate clergy kept property and wealth within the Church because they had no children to inherit it. The Gregorian reforms brought the Church more power.