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thegn = equivalent to baron/knight later on, a small but substantial landowner, and often someone who could back up their control with military force. Your basic small lord
oblate = monk-in-training, children who would be given to the monastery to be taught writing/latin/theology, often times with the expectation they would take vows and become a monk/nun when old enough. Anglo-Saxon England was unique, however, in that a large number of children were sent to monasteries to be educated, yet they never took vows.
(Abbess = head of the monastery)
St Cuthbert’s feast = 20 March
Feast days were big events in this period, and although they should have in technically have been holy days, they were often full of festivities and fun. Penitentials imply that monks and nuns would be having horse races, gambling, singing and dancing (in ‘immoral’ ways) and over-eating and over-drinking to the point of nausea (one of my favourite penances is for throwing up the Eucharist, especially considering Catholic belief the bread actually turns into Jesus’ body). So I imagine preparations for big ones (St Cuthbert was one of the most popular saints of medieval Northumbria) could span several days before the event itself
