Michael Brooks
While the modern Christian church does not condone prostitution, there is evidence to suggest that during the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church supported and even operated brothels. In the 12th century, there were around 1000 prostitutes employed by the Church in London, specifically in a borough of London known as Southwark. This area was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester, who legalized and profited from the brothels, which were called the Bankside stews. The Church's involvement in prostitution may have been motivated by the belief that it prevented worse sins such as masturbation, rape, and coveting another man's wife. However, there is no evidence that the Catholic Church operated brothels before the Council of Trent, and the prohibition against prostitution comes directly from the New Testament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time period | 12th century |
| Location | London, England |
| Number of prostitutes | 1000 |
| Number of brothels | 18 |
| Area | Southwark, Bankside |
| Management | Individual clerics, bishops |
| Regulation | The Bishop of Winchester |
| Customers | Bachelors, widowers |
| Profit | Diocese, bishops |
| Church involvement | Unofficial, no direct evidence |
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What You'll Learn
There is no evidence of the Catholic Church operating brothels
The claim that the Church operated its own brothels during the Middle Ages has been circulated on the internet, but no sources have been provided to support this assertion. Some have suggested that the absence of evidence does not necessarily disprove the claim, and it is possible that the Church's involvement in the sex trade was indirect or that individual clerics owned and managed brothels.
In the case of Southwark, a borough of London in the 12th century, there were eighteen licensed brothels with about one thousand prostitutes employed. While these brothels were located on Church lands and brought in significant revenue for ecclesiastical purposes, they were not actively managed by the Church. Instead, the Bishop of Winchester sanctioned and profited from sex work in his jurisdiction. The diocese received a portion of the profits from the brothels, including rent and taxes.
It is important to note that the modern Christian church does not condone prostitution and would not consider involvement in such activities. Additionally, prohibitions against prostitution are derived directly from the New Testament, which further refutes the idea of the Church operating brothels.
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Individual clerics owned and managed brothels
There is no evidence of the Catholic Church operating any brothels. However, it is not uncommon to find individuals within the Church who profited from prostitution. Gervase Rosser discovered cases of individual clerics owning and managing brothels in Westminster and London. Parish priests often had side jobs if their Church benefice was insufficient to support themselves and their families.
The more famous case is probably the stews of Southwark. Part of Southwark lay in the legal (civic and canonical) jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester; part of it lay outside. The bishops legalized brothels and prostitution in their part of Southwark, but both remained illegal in the areas under secular control. The diocese received a cut of the profits of the brothels (both rent for the property and taxes).
In some places, priests were accused in canon or civic court for running brothels. However, there is no evidence of the Church running a brothel exclusively for priests. While the diocese would benefit from such an arrangement, Bishops would often directly profit from such an arrangement, because the prosperity of the diocese was tied to their own.
Although there is no evidence of the Catholic Church operating brothels, prostitution and the operation of brothels are illegal in many countries. In some parts of the world, known illegal brothels may be tolerated or laws may not be strictly enforced.
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The Church profited from prostitution
The Catholic Church has a long and complex history with prostitution, with its involvement ranging from indirect associations to more direct participation in the trade. While the modern Christian church does not condone prostitution, there is historical evidence of the Church's involvement in the trade, particularly during the medieval period.
One notable example of the Church profiting from prostitution can be found in 12th-century London, specifically in a borough known as Southwark. This area, located across the Thames River from the City of London, had a significant number of licensed brothels, estimated at eighteen, with about a thousand prostitutes working in them. These brothels were located in Bankside, Southwark, and were known as the "Bankside stews." The term "stew" has an interesting etymology, possibly derived from the Latin "balneum," meaning bath, or from the Norman French word "estuwes," meaning stove, referring to the steam baths in these establishments.
The brothels in Southwark were run by the Church and generated substantial revenue for the construction of churches and other ecclesiastical purposes. This arrangement was made possible due to the unique jurisdiction of the area. Part of Southwark fell under the legal and canonical authority of the Bishop of Winchester, while the rest lay outside this jurisdiction. The bishops legalized and profited from prostitution within their jurisdiction, collecting rent and taxes from the brothels. This practice was not without regulation, as evidenced by the "Ordinances Touching the Government of the Stewholders in Southwark under the Direction of the Bishop of Winchester," which outlined 36 rules for those working in the stews and the corresponding fines for infractions.
While the diocese, and by extension the bishops, benefited financially from this arrangement, it is important to note that there is no evidence of the Catholic Church officially operating brothels. Instead, the involvement was often through individuals within the Church. Cases have been documented of clerics owning and managing brothels, particularly in Westminster and London. Parish priests, for instance, may have engaged in such endeavours as a side job if their Church benefice was insufficient to support them. Additionally, while prostitution was not officially condoned by the Church, there were no explicit rules against profiting from it, allowing for this ambiguous relationship between the Church and the sex trade.
The Church's involvement in prostitution during the medieval period was influenced by various factors, including the need for revenue and the pragmatic recognition of the existence of the sex trade. Prostitution was also viewed as a means to protect "nice young maidens" from travelling salesmen and to maintain social order by providing an outlet for male desires. However, it is essential to acknowledge that prostitutes themselves had little social status, clout, or position, and their labour was exploited for the financial benefit of others, including the Church.
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The Church banned prostitution
Although the Catholic Church has always officially banned prostitution, there is evidence that individual clerics owned and managed brothels in medieval London and Westminster. While the Church continued to punish people for engaging in or selling sexual services, some Church leaders profited from sex work.
In the 14th century, the Bishop of Winchester, in particular, was known to benefit financially from brothels in his jurisdiction. Part of Southwark lay in the legal (civic and canonical) jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester, and he legalized brothels and prostitution in this area. The diocese received a cut of the profits of the brothels, including rent for the property and taxes. The ecclesiastical courts continued to punish people for engaging or selling sexual services throughout the medieval period, but the Bishop of Winchester was quick to realize how lucrative such enterprises could be.
In addition to the Bishop of Winchester, other individual clerics also owned and managed brothels. Gervase Rosser discovered cases of clerics owning and managing brothels in Westminster and London. Parish priests often had side jobs if their Church benefice was insufficient to support themselves and their families, so they may have turned to procuring and brothel-keeping.
While the Catholic Church has never officially condoned prostitution, the voices and experiences of sex workers during this time are absent from surviving records. It is unknown how the sex workers themselves felt about the Ordinances, but it is clear that a sizable chunk of the bishop's annual income was made up of the fines levied against sex workers and stewholders, as well as rent.
It is important to note that the prohibition against prostitution in the Catholic Church comes directly from the New Testament, allegedly from the words of Jesus himself. However, there have been rumors and accusations of priests, bishops, and even popes engaging in fornication with prostitutes and looking the other way when brothels were running in town.
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The Church looked the other way when brothels were running in town
While the modern Christian church does not condone prostitution, there is evidence that the Catholic Church historically turned a blind eye to, and even supported, the practice of prostitution and the operation of brothels.
During the Middle Ages, it is claimed that the Church operated its own brothels, although there is no concrete evidence to support this assertion. However, it is known that individual clerics owned and managed brothels, particularly in Westminster and London. The most famous example is the stews of Southwark, where the Bishop of Winchester legalised brothels and prostitution within his jurisdiction, profiting from the rent and taxes generated by these establishments.
In the 12th century, London's borough of Southwark was home to eighteen licensed brothels, employing about a thousand prostitutes. These brothels, known as the "Bankside stews," were located on land owned by the Bishop and provided significant revenue for the Church. King Henry II recognised and formalised the special status of these brothels in 1161, implementing ordinances to protect the women, the Church, the customers, and society, as well as to administer the business dealings.
The Church's involvement in prostitution was driven by a combination of financial gain and a belief in the societal benefits of the profession. St. Thomas Aquinas likened the place to "a cesspool in the palace; take away the cesspool and the palace becomes an unclean evil-smelling place." Prostitution was seen as a necessary evil, providing a channel for men's sexual energy and protecting the honour of unmarried women. Furthermore, prostitutes served as a source of information, reporting adulterers and protecting young maidens from travelling salesmen.
While the Church may not have officially run brothels, it is clear that they benefited from and, to some extent, facilitated their operation. The line between the Church and secular authorities was blurred, especially in the case of bishops who held political and statesman roles in medieval England. As a result, the Church's involvement in prostitution was influenced by a complex interplay of religious, social, and economic factors.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no evidence of the Catholic Church operating its own brothels. However, individual clerics owned and managed brothels in London and Westminster.
While the Church did not officially condone prostitution, there were no rules against profiting from it. The Bishop of Winchester, for example, sanctioned and profited from sex work in his jurisdiction. The diocese also received a cut of the profits of the brothels in the form of rent and taxes.
Yes, attempts to control the sex trade in medieval London can be traced back to at least 1310 when a royal command ordered all brothels to be closed down. By the 1500s, King Henry VIII banned brothels altogether, possibly for reasons of morality and to contain a syphilis epidemic.
Yes, there were regulations in place to protect both customers and sex workers. For example, brothel owners were prohibited from holding "any man against his will [...] for any debt that he owes." Sex workers were also protected from being exploited by stew owners, such as being forcibly detained or forced to board at a stewhouse.
