Colour Coding – who’s who!

 

Black Monks – Benedictine Monks (including Cluniacs)
White Monks – Cistercians
Black Canons – Augustinian or Austin Canons
White Canons – Premonstratensian Canons
Black Friars – Dominican Friars
White Friars – Carmelite Friars
Grey Friars – Franciscan Friars
Black Ladies – Benedictine Nuns
Black Ladies (2) – Augustinian Canonesses
White Ladies – Cistercian Nuns
White Ladies (2) – Premonstratensian Canonesses


I have not been able to find out who the Brown Friars or Brown Ladies were. Carmelite Nuns wear a brown habit with a white or black head covering and Carmelite Friars wore a brown habit with a white cloak, But whether they were called Brown Friars or not I do not know. Friar Tuck is always depicted in a brown habit – to what order was he supposed to belong?