The Annals of Dunstable Priory: from living memory to written record in a thirteenth-century textual community

This paper begins by reviewing the evidence for the authorship of The Annals of Dunstable Priory following the recent publication of the first English translation of the text. Having established the multifaceted authorship of the annals, it goes on to argue the ways in which the text represents the views and opinions of the textual community responsible for its production. In particular, it examines the multiple layers to the religious community’s identity and its place within the wider world of thirteenth-century England. The investigation reveals how the concerns for recording the rights, privileges, and memories of the priory and township reflect broader trends in the thirteenth century, including the increased reliance on the written word and administrative processes