Do monks ever leave the monastery?

Answer 1

I guess you mean "Did monks . . ." since this is posted under Medieval Religion.

The answer is yes, but only in certain situations and only with permission of the abbot or prior in charge. The vow of stability implied that monks would not leave their own monastery unless instructed to do so.

Among various reasons for monks being given permission to leave were:

• the translation of a Saint's remains (moving them from one site to another, often into a newly-built shrine).
• the transportation of books from one monastery to another. The monks at Canterbury, for example, borrowed books from Continental monasteries and these had to be collected and returned by the monks themselves.
• to go on a pilgrimage.
• to go to an outstation of the monastery - a farming grange or a small "cell" where just a few monks lived temporarily.
• to collect the rents of the peasants living on Abbey or Priory lands, including those of the monastery's own miller.

There were probably a few other reasons, but without a specific task like these monks would not be permitted beyond the precinct walls.