Belényesy Károly: Pálos kolostorok az Abaúji-Hegyalján (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén megye régészeti emlékei 3. Miskolc, 2004)

PAULINE FRIARIES IN THE ABAÚJ HEGYALJA REGION

conscious regulation of water balance. For that reason, these small ponds can be interpreted as water storage lakes. Their site and suggested function highlight the actual connections and integrity of the monastery and its environment. Through realizing the broader framework of interactions between the communities and their wider environment, these conclusions extend the understanding of the term "monastery". The Social Landscape of the Pauline Monasteries Written sources suggest that Pauline hermitages were strongly dependent on their means of sustenance. The donators of Gönc and Göncruszka monasteries can be found among the inhabitants of the Hernád Valley. Concerning Regéc, due to its location, residents of two regions, namely the Abaúj Hegyalja Region and the Bodrog Valley, supported the monastery. This "agglomeration" precisely describes the catchment area, which serves as the background of the monasteries' selfsupporting system. This strong relationship provides an opportunity to adequately assess the interrelations between monastery and its social background. All communities lived on the periphery of the described region, therefore, they were able to keep appropriate distance from inhabited areas. Nevertheless, it does not mean the conscious search to undertake extreme natural conditions. The distance of the monasteries from populated areas is only nominal. All settlements can be reached within a one-hour walk, but generally the distance is not more than one to two kilometers, which is a symbolic secession from secular environment, to which the community is linked to in numerous ways. The integration of monasteries into the local network of settlements and road system can best portray this bond. As regard to hermitages near Regéc, the road, which leads along the streams of the Huta valley and the Tolcsva stream is the only direct route between the valleys of the Hernád and the Bodrog rivers. Its significance is stressed by the presence of a customs station. The roads in the vicinity of Göncruszka monastery slightly changed during the centuries. The authors of the county monograph argued that the ruin is along the road.

168 The line of this road is traceable even on the maps of the Ordinance Surveys (Maps 1., 5., 6., 10, 11., 15., 17., 18., 20.). The road clearly diverges from the direction of Gönc-Göncruszka, turns towards Hejce, reaches the monastery, and leads through the vineyards to Gönc, parallel with the other path in the valley. The medieval origin of this road is also supported by a source from 1487. This mentions that once Ányos, prior of the St Catherine monastery on the way home Szikszay-Borovszky, 1896 285. from the market town of Szántó (today Abaúj szántó), was attacked by some people at the vineyards of Hejce, also "taking away his equipped horse" m According to this source, this prior took the above described route from Szántó towards Hejce and the monastery, the place of the insult must have been the road, passing close to the hills. The Gönc monastery lies at the northern feet of the Dobogó Hill (Map 12), where the Gönc stream bends from northern towards western direction. The valley, formed by this curve, suggests an important road leading there, not far from the monastery. Going northeast, then east along the stream, the path is still accessible very close to the site of the once monastery. Soon at the socalled "Potácsház", the valley turns to the south. Going into northern direction, the town of Telkibánya can be reached on two roads, both of them still accessible nowadays. One of them turns northeast, leads through the ridge between the Ökör Hill (379m) and the Bizóka Hill (391m), while the other passes around from northern direction the Ökör Hill. There is no evidence that this road had the exactly same route in pre-modern period that it has today. The perambulation charter of Telkibánya mentions two major roads, one of which leads from Gönc to Újvár. The other road goes towards the customs station at Vereng,

170 and the castle of Füzér,

171 which road is not identical with the route presented by the First Ordinance Survey at the end of the eighteenth century (Maps 15 and 16). The early modern route passes around the northwestern slopes of the mountain in a wider arch, and then finally gets to the Telkibánya Valley. Yet, the shortest distance between the two settlements, and accessibility of the route has in its favor the first route (in this case it is five kilometers, which is roughly one hour of walking). Written data reveal that the monastery played a crucial role in the life of Telkibánya. The possession of both the donations and the control of the urban hospital indicate strong and intensive connections between the parties, which presumes the presence of continuos and simple accessibility. This might be the most persuasive argument in the location of the road between the Paulines, Gönc and Telkibánya. The site of the individual communities reveals important conclusions about the network of settlements. Contemporary expressions to locate the actual site of the monasteries are similar in the sense that they are connected to larger manorial centers or settlements. In case of Regéc, the terms "under the castle of Regéc" and "above the village Horwath" are mentioned. Göncruszka is referred as being "near Gönc", "inside the borders of the royal possession at Gönc", and "besides the estate of Bandi, 1985 599 46 See Csánki, 1880 I. 220, and Györffy, 1963 82, 155. Probably this road is mentioned by Béla Iványi, when he wrote that the major road leading towards Kassa "... is adjoined by a road coining from Telkibánya at Gönc..." Iványi, 1926 8.