Francis Dashwood [ Association / Associational culture ]
… Later the Brotherhood moved to Dashwood’s family seat in West Wycombe, before relocating to a repurposed abbey in Medmenham. It is unclear to what extent mock-religious rituals occurred at Medmenham. 15 While it is said that Dashwood developed ‘an acute antipathy towards the Roman Catholic Church’, 16 his longstanding friendship with the Abbé Niccolini weakens such assertions. Fragments of Medmenham’s cellar-books do hint at ample drinking, 17 and at least some clues indicate the presence of women and sex. …
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