Anchoress

Whitby being one of the oldest and grandest foundations was sure to be inaccessible to a high-born but unportioned girl, and Grisell in her sense of loneliness saw nothing before her but to become an anchoress, that is to say, a female hermit, such as generally lived in strict seclusion under shelter of the Church. ❋ Charlotte Mary Yonge (1862)

"anchoress," seldom or never left the walls of her cell, a little house of two or three rooms built generally against the church wall, so that one of her windows could open into the church, and another, veiled by a curtain, looked on to the outer world, where she held converse with and gave counsel to those who came to see her. ❋ Caroline F. E. Spurgeon (1905)

In “The Book of Encouragement and Consolation,” this young anchoress, who is only known through a letter she may have never received, and the voice of a man, Goscelin, whose love for her may have been implicated in her removal from St Bertin to Wilton, is given her own chance to respond. ❋ Mary Kate Hurley (2008)

I was told that in order to protect herself, Jane became an anchoress. ❋ Claudia Mair Burney (2010)

And did she find that place, too, already deserted, and think of the anchoress as her next hope? ❋ Unknown (2010)

An anchoress was dead in the eyes of the world — she would have been given Extreme Unction before she was enclosed — and now, as St. Paul would say, her life is “hidden with Christ in God.” ❋ Michelle (2009)

Previously I'd never even heard of the term, anchoress. ❋ Unknown (2008)

An anchorite or anchoress, take your pick--I prefer the non-gendered term is a nun, but not really. ❋ Yuki_onna (2008)

For example, Mr. Thompson reportedly booted executives off a cross-continental Citigroup flight to be alone with the impeccably brunette anchoress. ❋ Unknown (2007)

It's just so nice being in a house rather than walled in a little enclosure like an anchoress! posted by K. A. Laity at ❋ K. A. Laity (2006)

Williams was co-hosting in place of Katie Couric, a move some have speculated was meant to deprive the possible next anchoress of the CBS Evening News the prime time exposure. ❋ Unknown (2006)

Today is the feast of Dame Julian c. 1417, an anchoress in Norwich. ❋ Fr Timothy Matkin (2006)

The anchoress has a fine comment on this revolting miscarriage of justice. ❋ Dymphna (2006)

An old woman sits under the window; the anchoress appears and a conversation begins. ❋ Jean Jules Jusserand (N/A)