Posted by Kathy_S on September 30, 2007 at 04:06:57 from 24.223.133.107 user kschmid.
In Reply to: Re: . . about the Beckfoot plumbers posted by Gordon on September 29, 2007 at 22:01:02:
There is also this interpretation, as given in Rumer Godden, 'In This House of Brede.'
"Besides priests and doctors only three classes of persons were allowed in an enclosure: reigning members of a royal family, cardinals, and plumbers, which meant all workmen."
I've no idea to what extent "plumber" was used in this generic sense, but would more inclined to attribute it to English dialect than to St. Benedict.