The Medieval Church
The medieval Christian Church in the West was a vast international corporation with thousands of clergy and millions of members. Its centre of authority, government and administration was in Rome, headed by the pope. Throughout Europe its structures and activities were entwined with those of the secular states within which it was located. By the later Middle Ages, it was highly organised and very complex. It is impossible to give any short account of the late medieval Church here, but two brief introductions to medieval churches and their patterns of worship may be helpful to those unfamiliar with this rich and complex field of study. These are written within the specific context of England and Wales.