Are There Still Anchoresses?

There are a few hermits and anchorites around today, but by and large this way of life has vanished. Just like monks and nuns, anchorites seem to have been turned out of their cells under Henry VIII. Their history after that is even more patchy and unwritten than it was before.

How do you become an anchoress?

In order to become an anchoress, a woman would have to apply to her local bishop and she would have to provide evidence that she had the financial means to support herself while she was enclosed. She would have had one or two servants to look after her.

What happened when an anchorite died?

An anchorite was, effectively, dead to the world. They would live in a small cell, attached to the church. As they were led to this cell, a requiem Mass would be sung for them and they would receive extreme unction, normally reserved for the dying.