ABSTRACT
As the head of the premier Benedictine house in England, an exempt monastery with one of the largest communities and a wealth of privileges, the abbot of St Albans exercised wide-ranging powers and responsibilities which frequently diverted him from his role as spiritual leader. First, the abbot held the position of secular landholder in respect of considerable monastic estates and possessions which required effective management to extract from them the highest possible level of revenue. He was thus forced to wage a constant battle, not only to balance the monastic finances, but also to avoid secular interference in the administration of the abbey. Second, the relationship between the abbey and the town of St Albans required considerable monitoring and control by the abbot. The years 1290 to 1349 were to be crucial in the fraught relationship between the town of St Albans and the monastery, culminating as they did in the revolts of 1327 and 1381. Finally, he was involved in wider national and political events through the requirement that he attend parliament. It is the discussion of these aspects of the abbatial role to which this chapter will now turn.
