St. Gall: The Plan for a Medieval Benedictine Monastery Design

St. Gall was a plan for a proposed monastery layout that was created circa 816-836 AD. The plan included detailed drawings for the monastic gardens including a kitchen garden, physic garden, cloister-garth and a cemetery orchard. The plants found in these gardens were meant to be grown in raised, rectangular beds, which were separated by narrow pathways.

St. Gall, although never built as planned, was thought to be the idea layout for a Benedictine monastery. A copy of the plan was found preserved in the library at the Abbey of St. Gallen in Switzerland thus the plan is referred to as St. Gall. The plan was addressed to Gozbert who was abbot of St. Gall from 816-836 AD.

Medicinal Garden
The medicinal (AKA Physic) garden of St. Gall was divided into 16 individual plots and included the following plants:

Cornflag
AKA yellow flag, the leaves were used as a strewing herb while the dried roots were used for chest complaints. Detailed information regarding strewing herbs can be found in the article Strewing Herbs; Ancient Aromatherapy Technique.

Cumin
Beneficial to the digestive system especially to sluggish digestion.

Fennel
The seeds of this plant helped to alleviate hunger and were especially useful during the long fast of Lent. Fennel also helped to relieve indigestion and gas and improve liver function.

Fenugreek
The seeds, when soaked in water, helped sooth the stomach and digestive tract.

Kidney bean
Monks were forbidden to eat the flesh of four-footed animals (cows, pigs, sheep etc.) although this rule was not strictly enforced in the later Middle Ages. Peas and beans became a staple part of the monks daily diet. Because beans were known to cause gas, any herbs that helped to relieve gas were employed for their medicinal uses. Often times these gas relieving herbs such as savory and fennel were cooked right along with the beans.

Lovage
Used for urinary trouble, jaundice and stomach disorders.

Pennyroyal
This herb was used as a cold remedy and it was also thought to work as a blood purifier and helped alleviate stomach disorders. Pennyroyal was also used as a flea repellant.

Peppermint
This herb helped to relieve gas, diarrhea and stomach disorders. Mint was also useful as a cold remedy and breath freshener. It was also used as a strewing herb because of its fragrant aroma.

Rose
The rose hips, which are the fruits of the plant, are very high in vitamin C. Rose hips and petals were used by monks to make a variety of medicinal jams, jellies and syrups. These rose remedies helped to relieve scurvy, diarrhea and sore throats and were also thought to be able to restore ones strength.

Rosemary
Was thought to strengthen the memory and was burned to purify the air in sick rooms. It was also used as a strewing herb and to repel insects.

Rue
Also known as the Herb of Grace. A sprig of rue was traditionally used to sprinkle holy water during Mass. Rue was used medicinally by monks to promote clear vision and as an insect repellent.

Sage
Was thought to promote longevity, aid digestion and helped to eliminate gas. Sage was also used as a blood purifier. An infusion of the leaves helped to relieve sore throats.

Savory
Aided digestion of gas producing foods such as beans. It also helped to expel phlegm from the chest and lungs.

Tansy
Helped get rid of intestinal parasites. Tansy was used to make cakes called Tansies which were believed to help purify the body after the long fast of Lent. Tansy was also used as a strewing herb to help repel flies.

Watercress
Aided digestion, cleared toxins and helped to promote ones appetite.

White lily
Also known as Madonna lily, the white color was thought to be a symbol of purity. It helped to heal inflamed and irritated skin. It was also known as an ancient cure for various foot complaints and skin problems.

Additional Crops
The plan of St. Gall also contained 18 garden beds located in the kitchen garden for the growing of culinary herbs and vegetables. The crops mentioned on the plan were onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, celery, parsley, chervil, coriander, dill, lettuce, poppy, savory, radishes, parsnips, carrots, cabbage, beets and corn cockles.

Further Information
For more information on this topic see the article Medieval Gardens.

Information on seven types of monastery gardens can be found in the article Monastery Gardens.

Resources

Bayard, Tania. Sweet Herbs and Sundry Flowers; Medieval Gardens and the Gardens of the Cloisters. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, David R. Godine Publisher, 1985.

Hales, Mick. Monastic Gardens. Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2000.

MacDougall, Elisabeth B. (ed.). Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture IX. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1986. "The Medieval Monastic Garden." Paul Meyvaret, pages 23-54.

Peplow, Elizabeth & Reginald Peplow. In a Monastery Garden. David & Charles, 1988.

Whiteman, Robin. Brother Cadfael's Herb Garden; An Illustrated Companion to Medieval Plants and Their Uses. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1997.