MONASTIC BUILDINGS, ETC.
(28). The Monastic and Collegiate
Buildings, including those of Westminster School,
are grouped on the S. side of the church. The
earliest work is the Undercroft of the Dorter, forming
part of the E. range of the cloister, which is of late
11th-century date; to a slightly later period in the
same century belong the main walls of the Dorter
(School Hall) and the remains of the Rere-dorter
and the Frater range with a building adjoining
it on the S. Foundations have also been found of
the W. arcade wall of the early cloister, which
was built under Abbot Gilbert, c. 1090–1100. The
Infirmary was built during the 12th century and
probably consisted of the usual aisled 'nave' and
chancel forming the Chapel; remains of this chapel
of c. 1160–70 still survive. There are probable
remains of 12th-century work to the W. of the
cloister and in the Abbot's Lodging. The mid
13th-century rebuilding of the church by Henry III
involved also the building of the Chapel of St.
Faith adjoining the S. transept, the Chapter House
with its Vestibule and the N.E. parts of the E.
and N. walks of the Cloister. The only other
13th-century work surviving in the monastic
buildings is the remains of vaulting in the sub-vault
under the Misericord. In 1298 a great fire destroyed
much of the monastic buildings, including the
Frater, Dorter, Infirmary, etc.; these were
gradually restored during the 14th century, probably beginning with the Dorter, which has a
window of c. 1300; the W. window of the Chapter
House may have been reconstructed at the same
time; the rebuilding of the cloister was resumed
c. 1340, when the rest of the E. walk was re-built,
probably during Abbot Byrcheston's rule (1344–9).
Under his successors, Abbots Langham (1349–62)
and Litlington (1362–86), but chiefly under the
latter, much work was done—the Infirmary
Cloister (probably in place of the former aisled
hall) was built with the surrounding lodgings
between the years 1364–1393; in 1351–2 the
reconstruction of the S. walk of the great cloister
was in progress and was finished in 1366; the W.
walk with the Abbot's Lodging followed immediately after, the latter being begun in 1367, the
Jerusalem Chamber finished in 1372 and the Abbot's
Hall glazed in 1375–6. The Cellarer's Range
extending along the E. side of Dean's Yard,
begun in 1388, was also Litlington's work, as was a
large block to the W. of it, now entirely destroyed.
The Prior's Lodging (now Ashburnham House)
was also built or re-built at this period. Little
alteration was made to the buildings during the
15th century except the building or rebuilding of
the Chapel of St. Dunstan E. of the Dorter sub-vault. Abbot Islip (1500–32) added the Jericho
Parlour to the Abbot's Lodging. The Abbey was
dissolved in 1540, when the buildings were mostly
transferred to the collegiate body, the Abbot's
Lodging became first the Bishop's then the Dean's
House, and the infirmary and cellarer's building
were transformed into canons' lodgings. Westminster School used part of the Dorter as a hall
from 1599, and various other alterations were
made. The Frater was destroyed at this period
as being superfluous. In the 17th century
Ashburnham House was remodelled, and there are
many 17th-century and later additions to the
canons' houses and the school buildings.
(29). The Cloister (151 ft. by 140 ft.) has an
E. walk (Plates 147, 153) of eight bays, of which
the four on the N., with the vault of the three
N. bays, are of mid 13th-century date; the vault
and arcade-wall of the remaining bays with the
vault of the fourth bay are the work of Abbot
Byrcheston (1344–9). The three N. bays have
quadripartite vaults with moulded ribs and
foliated bosses at the inter-sections; the ribs
spring from triple grouped shafts with moulded
capitals and bases. Each bay of the E. wall has
a moulded wall-arch enclosing blind-tracery of
three trefoiled bays with three trefoils above
them; the wall-arch and tracery spring from
Purbeck-marble shafts with moulded capitals and
bases. In the N. wall is the E. processional
doorway (see S. aisle of nave). The arcade-wall
has two large windows, entirely restored but each
of three trefoiled lights with trefoiled tracery in
a two-centred head. The fourth bay has an
arcade of moulded two-centred arches in the E.
wall, but the wall above has no blind-tracery and
the vault is of the 14th century and has had
ridge-ribs in addition to diagonal ribs; the webs
of the vault are banded with Reigate stone; the
arcade-wall of this bay is largely occupied by a
large buttress-turret enclosing a staircase, but to the
S. of it is a 14th-century window of two cinque-foiled ogee lights with net-tracery in a two-centred
head. The fifth bay containing the entrance to
the chapter house has a more elaborate 14th-century vault with subsidiary and lierne-ribs and
foliated bosses at all the intersections. The entrance
(Plate 155) to the chapter house is of mid 13th-century date and has two arches with moulded
jambs and segmental-pointed arches with sprigs of
foliage in the hollow; the moulded labels have
head-stops; the whole is included in a wall-arch
of two orders, the inner carved with much damaged
foliage and the outer with foliage and a series of
small figures said to represent the stem of Jesse;
the tympanum was covered with a diaper of scrolled
foliage, now much perished; it has also three
foliated pedestals, the middle one now supporting
parts of a draped figure, probably not in situ, and
the side ones bearing remains of two original figures
of angels, both much mutilated. The arcade-wall of
this bay has a large restored 14th-century window
of four elaborately cusped lights with net-tracery
in a two-centred head. The vaults of the three S.
bays are similar to that over the fourth bay. In
the E. wall of the first of these bays is a 13th-century
doorway with a shouldered head, leading to the
day-stairs from the dorter, it is enclosed in a two-centred arch of two moulded orders with a Purbeck
marble shaft to each jamb and a shafted moulding
to the S. jamb; the tympanum has tracery
consisting of two-pointed arches and a quatrefoil
filled with foliage; in the next bay to the S.
is a plain doorway of uncertain date, with a
segmental-pointed head and a restored inner
order; the last bay has remains of the W.
jamb and springing of the head of a doorway
of late 11th-century date. In the arcade-wall of
these bays are two mid 14th-century windows,
entirely restored and each of three lights with
net-tracery in a two-centred head. The N. walk
(Plates 4, 148) of the cloister is of eight
bays, including the two angle bays; the second
to the fifth bays from the E. are of the third
quarter of the 13th century and the sixth
and seventh bays are of mid 14th-century date;
the vaulting and vaulting-shafts of all these bays
are generally similar to the 13th-century work
in the E. walk. Each bay of the 13th-century
work of the N. wall has blind-tracery and arcading
similar to that in the E. wall but with quatre-foiled tracery; the 14th-century bays of the
wall are blank except for the moulded wall-arch with its shafts. The vaulting of the W.
bay (see W. walk) is at a lower level than the
rest, and the tympanum (Plate 148) thus
formed on the E. side has 14th-century blind-tracery. The five windows in the arcade-wall are
completely restored and each is of three trefoiled
lights with three quatrefoils in a two-centred
head; the blank bay at the E. end has blind-tracery similar to that in the N. wall. The S.
walk (Plates 151, 153) is of ten bays, including the two angle bays; it was re-built c.
1350–70 and has a vault, each bay of which has
diagonal, subsidiary and ridge-ribs with foliated
bosses, all much weathered; the grouped vaulting-shafts are cut into the 11th-century wall on the
S. side. The arcade-wall has in each bay a completely restored window of three elaborately cusped
lights with 'honey-comb' tracery in a two-centred
head. In the S. wall of the eighth bay from the
E. is a recess with a square head and an ogeecrocketed label with side pinnacles, much weathered
and enclosing a traceried tympanum; it has been
pierced for a modern doorway, subsequently
blocked; in the next bay to the W. is the early
14th-century towel-cupboard (Plate 152), consisting of four recesses with moulded jambs and
two-centred heads, above the recesses is much
weathered blind net-tracery extending to the
vault; in the next bay is the early 14th-century
frater-doorway; it has shafted jambs with foliated
capitals and a two-centred arch of two-moulded
orders, the inner with cinque-foiled ogee and sub-cusped inner members having the spandrels richly
carved with foliage; the moulded ogee label has
head-stops and a weathered finial. The W. walk
(Plates 149, 153) is of nine bays, including
the two angle bays; it was re-built shortly after the
S. walk and has a similar vault and windows, except
that the latter are each of four lights except the
N. window, which is of two pointed lights with
tracery in a segmental-pointed head. At the N.
end is the western processional entrance (see S.
aisle of nave). In the W. wall of the N. bay is an
early 16th-century doorway with a three-centred
head; in the eighth bay from the N. is the
14th-century lavatory, a recess with a moulded
segmental arch; the lower part is filled with a
modern wall and the back of the recess is also
modern; above the arch is a tympanum with
blind-tracery; the vaulting on each side springs
from large corbels carved with half-figures of
men; in the ninth bay is a doorway with restored jambs and 14th-century moulded two-centred arch with a moulded label and crowned
head-stops.
Fittings in Cloister—Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In E. walk—on E. wall, (1) to
Jane Lister, 1688, "dear childe," and Michael,
her brother, 1676, buried at St. Helen's, York,
plain white marble tablet; (2) to Elizabeth
(Mansell), wife of Charles West, 1710, plain white
marble tablet; (3) to George Whicher, 1680–1, white
marble tablet with architrave; (4) to Edward
Godfrey, 1640, white marble tablet with scrolls
and three shields-of-arms, renewed in 1696 and
with inscription (5) to Sir Edmund Berry
Godfrey, 1678, added; (6) to Arthur Agarde [1615],
and Margaret, his wife [1611], stone tablet with
round head and achievement-of-arms; (7) to
James Broughton, 1710–1, and Rebecca, his wife,
1699, white marble tablet with scrolls, drapery
and angel-heads. On W. wall, (8) to Elizabeth,
wife of Gilbart Abrahall, 1710–11, white marble
tablet with skull.
In N. walk—on N. wall, (9) to William Fox,
1680, and James Fox, 1677, black and white
marble tablet with eared architrave, cornice,
cherub-heads and two shields-of-arms; (10) to
William Laurence, 1621, plain marble tablet;
(11) to Humphrey Langford, M.P., 1685, grey
marble tablet with self, apron and shield-of-arms; (12) to John Coleman, 1709, plain white
marble tablet; (13) to Richard Gouland, 1659,
black marble tablet with eared stone architrave,
drapery and skull; (14) to Francis Newman, 1649,
plain white marble tablet; (15) to Ann (Bush), wife
of William Gawen, 1659, five children and Isaac
Bush and Frances, his wife, parents of Ann Gawen
white marble tablet with cornice, apron and lozenge-of-arms; (16) to Richard, 1672–3, Christopher, 1675,
and Peter, 1672, sons of Christopher Chapman,
plain tablet; (17) to Christopher Chapman, 1681,
Melior, his wife, 1707, and Elizabeth, their daughter,
1680–1, white marble tablet with architrave, round
head, apron and cartouche-of-arms.
In S. walk—on S. wall, (18) to John Collins,
1681, plain black marble tablet; (19) to Mary
Peters, 1688, white marble shaped tablet with
lozenge-of-arms and cherub-head. In recess under
S. bench, (20) of Abbot Laurence, 1176, freestone
slab with defaced effigy in high relief, modern
inscription; (21) of Abbot Gilbert, 1121, tapering
slab of black marble with sunk panel containing
effigy in relief holding crozier in right hand, head
bare, modern inscription; (22) of [Abbot William
de Humez, 1222], defaced effigy in high relief,
apparently in mass-vestments with mitre and
crozier, incorrect modern inscription (Plate 202).
In W. walk—on W. wall, (23) to John Banester,
1679, plain black marble tablet; (24) to John
Laurence, 1684–5, convex white marble tablet,
with architrave, cornice and cartouche-of-arms;
(25) to Catherine (Partridge), wife of Andrew
Palmer, 1676–7, white marble shaped tablet with
cherub-head and lozenge-of-arms.
Floor-slabs: In E. walk—(1) to Thomas Nurse,
[1667], with traces of former brass; (2) to Herbert
Thorndick, 1672, canon; (3) to Mrs. Aphra Behn,
1689; (4) to Thomas Brown, 1704; (5) defaced
but with achievement-of-arms, probably early 18th-century; (6) to Ambrose Fisher, 1617; (7) defaced
but with lozenge-of-arms. In N. walk—(8) to John
Fox, 1691, with defaced achievement-of-arms;
(9) to Thomas Fox, 1691, with defaced achievement-of-arms; (10) to John Frost, 1696, with
defaced shield-of-arms. In S. walk—(11) large
slate slab said to cover the bodies of 26 monks who
died of the Black Death; (12) to Philip Clark,
1707.
Miscellanea: In S. walk—in sixth bay from E.,
above the bench, stone with the word Abbas in
incised Lombardic letters, probably early 14th-century. On bench, mainly in N. walk, several
groups of cup-markings, nine in each group, said
to be for playing "nine men's morris."
The East Range consists of the Chapel of St.
Faith, the Chapter House Vestibule, the daystairs to the dorter and the Dorter Undercroft on
the ground-floor, and the Library and Dorter
(School Hall) on the first floor.
(30). The Chapel of St. Faith (58 ft. by 15 ft. on
E. and 13½ ft. on W.) is entirely of mid 13th-century
date and is in two divisions, the eastern of one bay
and the western of two; between the divisions is
a broad two-centred arch. The E. bay has a
sexpartite vault with moulded ribs springing from
moulded head-corbels. In the E. wall is a wide
recess with chamfered S. jamb and two-centred
arch; at the back is a groove for the former
altar. There is a similar recess in the N. wall.
The western division has two bays of quadripartite
vaulting with moulded ribs and head-corbels.
On the N. side is a wall-arcade of three segmental-pointed arches of two moulded orders and springing
from Purbeck-marble shafts with moulded capitals
and bases; in the middle bay is the doorway from
the S. transept. In the S. wall are two pointed
recesses with a smaller recess between them; in
the eastern recess is a square-headed doorway.
In the W. wall is a lancet-window and below it is
the stone gallery formerly providing communication between the dorter and the church; under
the gallery is a small chamber with a barrel-vault
and separated from the chapel by an iron grate.
Fittings in Chapel of St. Faith— Locker: In S.
wall of E. bay—with rebated jambs and square
head, 13th-century.
Paintings: In recess of E. wall (Plate 154)—
of St. Faith, tall draped figure of crowned female
saint holding book and grid-iron; above is a
trefoiled and gabled canopy with crockets, finial
and side-shafts with traceried pinnacles; below
is a dado, above the altar level, painted with
geometrical panels and a much defaced Crucifixion;
the reveals of the recess are painted with zig-zag
bands, and on the N. reveal is a geometrical panel
with the kneeling figure of a monk and an
inscription reading " Me quem culpa gravis premit
erige virgo suavis, Fac mihi placatum Christum
deleasque reatum," probably all late 13th-century.
Piscina: In S. wall—with chamfered jambs and
trefoiled head, two round drains, 13th-century.
Recesses: In chamber at W. end—in S. wall,
two with square heads; in W. wall, with two-centred head.
Tapestry: On N. wall—large figure-subject
(Plate 25) of the expulsion of Hagar and
Ishmael, part of the van Orley series in the Jerusalem Chamber, c. 1540–50; on S. wall, two panels
of 'vase and arcade' type, Brussels, 16th-century.
Tiles: At E. end—several slip-tiles, mostly with
foliage, 13th-century. In gallery at W. end—
pavement of alternate black and slip-tiles, the
latter mostly heraldic and including (a) England,
(b) Clare, (c) a lion, (d) a fleur-de-lis, (e) a double-headed eagle, (f) a mounted knight.
Miscellanea: Incorporated in modern bench—
elbow-rest carved with foliage, early 14th-century.
(31). The Chapter House Vestibule (Plates
155, 156) is in two portions, the outer (32 ft. by
17 ft.) and the inner (23½ ft. by 16 ft.); both are of
mid 13th-century date. The outer vestibule is
divided into three bays from E. to W. and two
from N. to S. by a range of Purbeck marble
columns with moulded capitals and bases from
which springs the quadripartite vaulting; the
vault has moulded ribs and carved foliage bosses
and rests against the walls on shafts similar to the
columns. The N. and S. walls have in each
bay a wall-arcade of two moulded segmental-pointed arches springing from Purbeck marble
shafts; the easternmost of these arches on the S.
encloses a doorway with a shouldered head; there
is a corresponding doorway in the N. wall with a
square head. In the E. wall are two doorways,
opening into the inner vestibule, with moulded
jambs and segmental-pointed heads both carved
with sprigs of foliage, the labels on the E. face
have head-stops, two of them modern. The
inner vestibule is a much loftier building than the
outer and has a flight of steps leading up to the
chapter house. It is of two bays with a quadripartite ribbed vault springing from Purbeck
marble shafts; the W. wall has a moulded and
shafted arch of three orders, the middle one carved
with continuous foliage; the space above the
entrance from the outer vestibule has blind-tracery of three lights with three quatrefoils in
the head and three corbels for figures, all much
restored. In the N. wall are two pairs of lancetwindows with pierced spandrels opening into St.
Faith's chapel, and in the S. wall are two windows,
the eastern a lancet with shafted splays and
moulded rear-arch and the western of three
graduated trefoiled lights with trefoiled spandrels
in a two-centred head; the jambs, mullions and
splays are shafted, the shafts have foliated capitals
and the rear-arch is moulded.
(32). The Chapter House (56 ft. diameter) is
of mid 13th-century date and of octagonal form
(Plate 157) with a modern vault and 14th-century
flying-buttresses. The entrance in the W. bay has
a two-centred arch of four orders, externally, the
two middle moulded and carved with continuous
foliage, the foliage of of the inner of the two enclosing figures; the jambs have Purbeck-marble shafts
with foliated capitals and moulded bases and two
bands of carving, one on the S. having a series
of small figures; the inner shafts with that
dividing the doorway and the sub-arches and
tympanum above are modern restorations; on the
inside face (Plate 158) the arch is of two orders
only, the outer carved with running foliage enclosing figures (Plate 7); the jambs have shafts
similar to those on the W. face, one capital having
three lions in addition to the foliage; the band
of foliage on the S. jamb has a series of small
figures. Flanking the entrance are moulded trefoiled wall-arches and above, flanking the arch,
are two trefoil-headed niches containing original
statues of the Annunciation; the spandrels above
the arch are filled with diaper-work and moulded
trefoils enclosing four figures of angels. Each face
of the chapter house except the N.W. contains a
four-light window with modern tracery; the N.W.
bay has a blind window of similar design and of
13th-century work; the window over the entrance
bore traces, before the restoration, of division
into five lights; the jambs and mullions of all
the windows are shafted, and the modern vault
springs from Purbeck-marble vaulting-shafts in
the angles of the building and a central pier consisting of one main and eight subsidiary shafts
with moulded bases and bands and foliated capitals
each with an iron hook for a tie; similar hooks
exist in the capitals of the vaulting-shafts. Below
the window in each face of the building is a moulded
string-course and a wall-arcade of five bays; each
has a moulded trefoiled arch springing from
Purbeck-marble shafts with moulded or foliated
capitals and having diapered spandrels; the
labels have stops on either side the vaulting-shafts,
carved with heads, and one angel.
Fittings in Chapter House and Vestibule—
Door: In doorway on S. of outer vestibule—of
plain battens with strap-hinge and large iron
staple and padlock, mediaeval; under iron hinge
remains of skin, said to be human.
Locker: In inner vestibule—In S. wall, with
rebated jambs and square head, stone shelf,
13th-century.
Paintings: In chapter house—the paintings in
the E. bay and possibly also those in the third
arch of the S.E. bay are probably all of mid 14th-century date and may all have formed part of a large
Majesty or Doom with attendant figures. The rest
of the paintings represent the various incidents of
the earlier part of the Apocalypse, the first arch
on the N.W. bay being introductory and having
incidents in the legendary history of St. John
leading up to his imprisonment in Patmos. Each
subject in this series has under it a panel of blackletter inscription, written on paper or parchment
and pasted on the wall. Except in the arch
mentioned above, they all contain extracts from the
Vulgate version. The head of each arch was
probably occupied by a half-angel with a musical
instrument, and some of these remain. The two
lowest compartments in each arch formed a
bestiary, of which six beasts remain. The date
of these paintings is late 14th-century. The first
three arches in the N.W. bay are protected by
glass, but the rest are uncovered. Those in the E.
bay have suffered very severely since they were
uncovered at the restoration of 1865, when they
were largely intact. The subjects of the paintings are as follows—In E. bay remains consisting of heads only of large figure-subject—Christ
enthroned. In middle arch of wall-arcade—head
of Christ much defaced with heads of angels
round all with gilt nimbi; traces of the spear and
reed on either side formerly held by angels, of
which there are now small remains. In arches
flanking, a seraph with other angels each with
nimbus as above; the seraph on the S. has remains
of painted inscriptions in black letter, apparently
names of virtues—Simplicitas, Humilitas, etc. In
N. arch, traces of heads of saints or angels. S.
arch, all obliterated. The mouldings of the arches
in the E. bay have remains of red paint and
gilding. In N.W. bay (Plates 13, 14, 15),
first arch—(a) angel with musical instrument;
(b) St. John the Divine before Domitian—
king on left with noble behind, St. John on
right with five other men, probably guards;
(c) black-letter inscription referring to (b); (d)
St. John in a cauldron with four 'tormentors,'
Domitian on left; (e) inscription relating to
(d); (f) St. John in boat with one man, two
men on shore and one pushing off the boat;
(g) inscription relating to (f); (h) St. John with
two men in boat, arriving at Patmos, on left;
on right St. John landing, with book in hand;
(i) inscription; (j) and (k) figures of a "Reynder,"
apparently lodged, and a "Ro," both with the
names above and divided by a tree in the middle.
Second arch—(a) angel as above but largely
obliterated; (b) St. John asleep holding a book,
angel on right with hand outstretched, all with an
architectural setting; (c) inscription, first three
verses of Revelation, chap. i, Vulgate, one and
a half lines obliterated; (d) seven Gothic churches
with an angel in the porch of each; St. John
seated on left, writing in book; (e) inscription,
chap. i, verses 4–12, one line gone; (f) God
enthroned with sword in mouth, seven stars
in hand and seven candle-sticks at back; St.
John prostrate with angel; (g) inscription,
verses 12–16, with glosses in red; (h) three compartments, middle one a Majesty with the four
beasts in the angles, also seven lamps. The first
and third compartments have each two divisions
containing the 24 elders with musical instruments
and crowns; (i) inscription, chap. iv, verse 1
et seq., 7 and glosses in red; (j) and (k) figures
of two animals, much decayed, with the names
over "Wyld asse" and "Tame asse." Third
arch—(a) obliterated; (b) two old men, on right
St. John and angel on left; (c) inscription; (d)
a Majesty in a vesica in middle with book of seven
seals; at sides the elders casting down their
crowns; (e) inscription, chap. iv, verse 9, etc.;
(f) the Lamb upon the throne in a vesica with
the four beasts, elders at sides seated; (g) inscription, chap. v, verse 6; (h) the Lamb opening the
book, in vesica with the four beasts; at sides,
upper compartments, cherub-heads; in lower, the
elders casting down their crowns and instruments;
(i) inscription, chap. v, verse 7 et seq.; (j) and (k)
figures of two animals, one much decayed, with
names above "Dromedary" and "Kameyl."
Fourth arch—(a) angel with musical instrument,
almost obliterated; (b) the rider on the white
horse; on left, St. John with book and the first
beast; (c) inscription, chap. vi, verse 2, almost
obliterated; (d) the rider on the red horse, St.
John with the second beast; (f) the rider on the
black horse, St. John with the third beast; all the
rest obliterated. On the riser of the first step
below this bay are traces of paintings said to have
been fishes and marine beasts. S.E. bay—first and
second arches obliterated. Third arch—remains of
six large heads, part of large subject, rest obliterated. Fourth arch—(a) obliterated; (b) four faces
at right hand lower corner and apparently a fork
thrust at them; traces of other figures; (c) figure
on left, kneeling figure on right, much decayed;
(d) and (e) traces of other subjects. Fifth arch—
traces of two subjects only. S. bay—subjects in
first four arches obliterated. Fifth arch—(a)
obliterated; (b) destruction of a city, figure on
left pouring out the vial of wrath, angel at top
right-hand corner (Revelation, chap. xvi, last
verses); inscription gone; (c) slight traces of large
figures; (d) the woman riding on the sevenheaded beast, in hand the cup of abominations,
St. John and the angel on left (chap. xviii, verse 3);
(e) remains of two haloes at top, rest gone. S.W.
bay, first arch—(a) remains of angel with musical
instrument; (b) angel and Babylon fallen, St. John
on left; (c) remains of inscription from chap. xviii,
verse 9, inter alia; (d) angel at top with ring,
three men, one with scroll, on right, St. John on
left, in middle figure in porch of house (?); (e)
inscription, much mutilated; (f) angel in white
casting mill-stone into sea (verse 21); (g) figure
of God defaced, small figures of angels, one with
scroll above, elders at sides, St. John on left
with book, in foreground the great whore burning
(chap. xix, 3 and 4). Second arch—(a) angel with
pipes; (b) the marriage of the Lamb, with kneeling
figures in front; (c) chap. xix, verse 6 et seq.; (d)
St. John falling down before the angel, angel saying
" See thou do it not," etc. (verse 10); (e) chap. xix,
verse 9 et seq.; (f) figure of St. John and traces of
others, including man on white horse (verse 11);
(g) remains of figure and fowls of the air (verse 17).
Pavement: In N. half of outer vestibule—of flagstones, much worn, mediaeval.
Tiles: In chapter house—original pavement
of slip-tiles (Plate 16), with a few modern
repairs; the tiles are set in broad bands running
E. and W.; the majority are conventional foliated
designs, but there are two bands of large shields
of England with monsters and centaurs in the
spandrels (four tiles to each shield); other tiles
include archer shooting stag, huntsman on horseback, St. Edward and the Pilgrim, minstrels, a
bishop, king, queen, pike, etc.
Miscellanea: In inner vestibule—Roman stone
coffin or sarcophagus of oolite (Plate 181) with
panel in front flanked by Amazon shields and
with incised inscription MEMORIAE . VALER .
AMANDINI . VALERI SVPERVENTOR . ET .
MARCELLVS . PATRI . FECER., probably 4th-century; lid with cross cut in relief on top surface,
possibly in Saxon times. In outer and inner
vestibule—various carved and moulded stones,
various dates but mostly 13th-century.
(33). The Crypt (Plate 159) of the chapter
house (28½ ft. across) is of mid 13th-century date
and of octagonal form with walls 17½ ft. thick.
The six windows have chamfered jambs and
square heads and are heavily barred; the jambs
are set 5½ ft. back from the outer face of the
wall and have a segmental-pointed arch in front
of them; this outer thickness may be an addition
to the original design, but more probably the wall
is all of one date. The stone vault has chamfered
ribs springing from a round column in the middle
with moulded capital and base and vaulting-shafts
in the angles. The crypt is entered by a doorway
in the W. wall and a corridor and stairs leading
from the turret-staircase E. of St. Faith's chapel.
The corridor has a raking barrel-vault except at
the right-angled bend, where there is a ribbed
quadripartite vault.
Fittings in Crypt—Lockers: In N. side of E.
embrasure—with rebated jambs and square head,
sockets round embrasure for former grate; in
middle column, two both round internally.
Piscina: In S. side of E. embrasure— with two-centred head and round drain.
(34). The Dorter Sub-vault (111 ft. by 32 ft.)
is of seven bays, all of mid to late 11th-century
date. It is now divided into the Chapel of the
Pyx (Plate 159) forming the two N. bays and
a long undercroft (Plate 160) formerly sub-divided into three rooms. N. of the Pyx chapel
is about half of the next bay transformed in the
13th century into the 'day-stairs' from the
dorter. The sub-vault generally is roofed with
rubble groined vaulting springing from a row of
round piers down the middle, some with moulded
bases and some with square plinths; the capitals
were originally splayed and had square abaci,
these have been subsequently altered and carved
with late. 12th-century fluted leaf-ornament in
two instances and by rich late 12th-century
conventional foliage on the S. capital of the Pyx
chapel; foliage of similar date is carved on three
capitals of the undercroft. The vaulting bays are
divided by plain cross arches springing from plain
square responds against the walls. The two bays of
the E. wall of the Pyx chapel have each a modern
window, that on the N. being set in the blocking
of an earlier window of uncertain date. The E.
wall of the undercroft has in the N. bay the moulded
jambs of an early 16th-century window. In the
second bay is an archway opening into St. Dunstan's
chapel and possibly of the 12th century. In the
fifth bay is an original window with a round
head, widened eastward, and now blocked. In the
W. wall the first bay has an 18th-century or modern
doorway, now blocked; the second bay has a
14th-century doorway with jambs and segmental-pointed head of two chamfered orders and a
moulded label with defaced head-stops; the third
bay has a blocked doorway of uncertain date and
the N. part of an original opening, now blocked;
the fourth bay has a modern doorway, and the
fifth bay an early 16th-century doorway with a
four-centred head. The partition between the
Pyx chapel and the 'day-stairs' is of the 13th-century in the E. bay and of the 12th-century
in the W. bay, as is shown by the carving on the
capital of the pier, which is stopped against the
W. wall and continued behind the E. wall. There
was a blocking wall, dividing the two bays of the
Pyx chapel, built before the end of the 12th
century. The S. wall of the Pyx chapel is probably
of the 12th century, as the carvings of the capital
of the pier are not continued behind it. There
were other partitions on the lines of the second
and fourth piers of the undercroft.
Fittings in Pyx chapel—Altar: of masonry,
top formed of several stones with chamfered lower
edge, round sinking in top for Sigillum.
Chests: (1) mainly of plain battens with strap-hinges, ornamented hasps and three plain lock-plates, 15th or 16th-century, restored; (2) of
hutch-shape with three strap-hinges, chain fastenings at back and plain hasps in front, three lock-plates, ornamented end rails and plain hinges,
13th-century, restored and altered.
Doors: In W. doorway—two with trellis-framing,
one square and one diagonal, each with three
strap-hinges and three oak locks, both probably
13th or early 14th-century.
Piscina: S. of altar—pillar-piscina with round
shaft, moulded base and capital sunk for drain,
mid 13th-century, not in situ.
Tiles: pavement much patched, parts laid in
chequer of black glazed and slip-tiles, the latter
have simple geometrical designs, vair, leopard,
dragon, fleurs-de-lis, etc., 14th or 15th-century.
Miscellanea: oak ' tester' in middle E. arch of
chapel, 14th or 15th-century. Traces of colour on
soffit.
In undercroft—Door: In doorway in third bay
on W.— late 17th or early 18th-century, in two
folds.
Niche: In second pier from N—with trefoiled
head, 13th-century.
Painting: On soffit of arch in second bay of E.
wall—zig-zag bands of red with a border of squares
on each face, probably 12th-century.
The undercroft now contains a small museum
of objects found in the Abbey at various times,
they include the following—Bell: (Plate 28)
saucer-shaped, with corrugations, probably the
frater bell, mediaeval. Chests: (1) with ornamental
iron-work, three locks, chain guards, etc., early
14th-century (Plate 21); (2) small box with iron
hinges, probably 15th-century. Coffin-lids: three,
two with crosses and one plain, 13th-century.
Funeral-effigies: of oak, of Henry VII, Elizabeth of
York, Edward III, Katherine of Valois (painted),
Henry, Prince of Wales, James I, Anne of Denmark,
and one other. Funeral-helms: four of late 17th-century date and a tilting-helm, late 15th-century.
Grate: of wrought-iron with moulded rail, fleur-de-lis heads and buttressed standards with twisted
finials, from monument of Mary, Queen of Scots,
early 17th-century. Monuments: On N. wall, to
Esther de la Tour de Gouvernet, 1694, small wall-monument with panelled base having relief of
dying woman, inscribed tablet above with two
cartouches and a lozenge-of-arms. Miscellanea:
fragments of late 12th-century cloister arcade with
carved capitals, including one with the Judgement
of Solomon; parts of twisted marble shafts from
the Confessor's shrine; an 11th-century tau-cross
capital; 13th-century misericord from quirestalls, etc.
The range is continued S. of the undercroft by
two 11th-century bays each with a barrel-vault
of rubble running E. and W.; the northern
forms the passage to the farmery and has at each
end a plain 11th-century round archway. The
S. bay has in the N. wall a 14th-century doorway
with a two-centred head; in the S. wall is a round
arch of two plain orders. In the E. wall is a
rounded-headed doorway, now blocked.
(35). The Dorter (173 ft. by 34½ ft.) extends
over the buildings just described, from the chapter
house outer vestibule to the southernmost of the
two barrel-vaulted bays; the northern 59 ft. is now
occupied by the chapter library and the rest of
the building by the school hall.
(36). The Chapter Library (Plate 162) was
altered for its present use c. 1620 by Dean
Williams; the walls of the N. part over the
vestibule of the chapter house are presumably of
the 13th century, but those of the rest of the
building are probably of late 11th-century date,
altered and repaired in the 14th century. In the
E. wall are four windows, all except the second
being of two four-centred lights and apparently
of early 17th-century date; the second window is
of 15th or early 16th-century date and of two four-centred lights in a square head; N. of the first
window is the pointed rear-arch of a blocked window
probably of the 14th century. In the N. wall is
a range of low recesses of the 13th or 14th century;
in the western recess is the doorway opening on to
the gallery at the W. end of St. Faith's chapel;
it is now blocked. The W. wall has slight traces
of blocked windows. The roof of eight bays is
probably of the 16th century and is low pitched
with plain hammer-beam trusses and curved
braces to the hammer-beams and collars.
Fittings in Chapter Library— (all early 17th-century). Bookcases: (Plate 168) against the walls
and projecting from them on each side—of oak
with enriched entablature and pierced cresting with
two vases on each projecting end; the ends have
each an enriched tablet with a pedimental head
and the projecting cases have book-rests or desks,
on shaped brackets.
Gallery: At N. end—on oak posts, the upper
part turned as columns, moulded cornice and front
with open balustrade (Plate 168) of turned
balusters, moulded rail and square uprights with
ball-tops.
Staircase: round well of 'day-stairs' from
cloister—re-set, symmetrically turned balusters.
(37). The School Hall (Plate 163) is of late
11th-century date, but much of the walling has
been altered and re-built in 1814. In the E. wall
are remains of three original windows with round
rear-arches; the first has been widened and has
two early 14th-century trefoiled lights inserted in
it; the second has been destroyed except for the
N. jamb; the third is similar to the first but now
blocked; the other windows are 18th-century or
modern; there are two old doorways, one opening
into the chamber over St. Dunstan's chapel, and
perhaps of early 16th-century date, and the other
probably of the 14th century and with chamfered
jambs and two-centred arch; it is now blocked. In
the W. wall at the N. end are remains of four original
windows, all now blocked and partly destroyed;
at the S. end of the wall are two original windows
altered early in the 14th century but lacking the
tracery and now blocked; the other windows are
18th-century or modern; there are four old doorways; the easternmost with chamfered jambs and
two-centred arch, probably of the 14th century;
the second with a four-centred head and of 15th
or early 16th-century date; the third is original
and has jambs and round head of two plain orders;
it opens into a spiral staircase, of which the greater
part has been destroyed; the westernmost doorway is probably of the 14th century with a two-centred head and is now blocked. In the S. wall
are two original doorways formerly opening into
the rere-dorter, they are much restored and both
have jambs and round heads of two plain orders.
The roof of eleven bays has hammer-beam trusses
with curved braces to the hammer-beams and
collars and moulded pendants below the middle of
the collar-beams; the purlins have curved wind-braces; the moulded wall-plates are of the 15th
century, but the rest of the roof is probably later.
Fittings in School Hall— On the N. wall are fixed
six 17th-century achievements-of-arms in carved
oak—Queen Elizabeth, College of Westminster,
Oxford University, Trinity College, Cambridge,
Cambridge University, and Christ Church, Oxford.
(38). The Chapel of St. Dunstan (31½ ft. by
16½ ft.) with the storey above it projects at right
angles to the E. of the dorter range. It was built
probably early in the 16th century, the walls are
mainly of stone faced with ashlar with later
alterations and patching of brick. The chapel has
remains of a blocked E. window with moulded
splays. At the W. end of each side wall is a
segmental-pointed arch of two chamfered orders.
Above the arch opening into the undercroft is a
stone corbel, probably indicating the existence of a
' pentise' before the building of the chapel. The
early 16th-century boarded ceiling is of four bays,
each sub-divided into eight panels with moulded
plates, beams and ribs and square foliated bosses
at the intersections.
Fittings in Chapel of St. Dunstan—Niche: In
S. wall—near E. end, with ribbed and vaulted
canopy and remains of tabernacle work above, but
all cut back flush with the wall-face, early 16th-century.
Piscina: below niche, with moulded jambs and
four-centred heads to recess and to shelf, drain
destroyed, early 16th-century.
The room above the chapel (now a class-room)
has an 18th-century E. window and an early
18th-century fireplace in the S. wall with marble
eared architrave, bay-leaf frieze and enriched
cornice. The doorway in the W. wall is set with
the early 16th-century moulded oak frame and
four-centred arch on the E. face of the wall. The
roof is partly of early 16th-century date, low
pitched and of four bays with moulded and
cambered tie-beams and moulded wall-plates.
(39). The Rere-dorter (originally about 96 ft.
by 30 ft.) is set centrally across the S. end of the
dorter range. The upper storey has been destroyed,
but the middle part of the lower storey remains
with other portions of the N. wall and the E. end.
An enclosed drain 4 ft. wide ran along each side
of the building. The remaining part of the main
structure now forms three divisions and has a
barrel-vault of rubble with a broad ashlar band in
the middle, continued down the walls as pilasters;
the cross-wall to the W. of this band is of uncertain
date and has a loop stopped against the vault and
splayed on the E. side; the base of the existing
W. wall of the building is probably of mediaeval
date. The E. end is partly standing (Plate 176)
and forms part of the W. wall of the farmerycloister; in it is an original round-headed window,
and the wall above is faced with squares of stone
and tiles set diagonally. The N.W. angle of the
building is apparently represented by a small
nib in the coal-cellar of Ashburnham House; a
short distance to the E. of it is an original round-headed opening for access to the N. drain. In the
outer wall of the S. drain there is also an original
round-headed opening, rebated for a shutter.
Adjoining the rere-dorter on the N. is the main
entrance and staircase to the school. The lower
archway was built in 1734, but the upper archway
and porch were re-built in 1664–69; the round
arch has moulded imposts and a plain key-stone,
and is flanked by Ionic pilasters supporting
friezes and a continuous cornice. The porch is of
brick and has quoins of alternate brick and stone;
in the E. wall is a round and in the S. wall an oval
window, both blocked. The roof has a plaster
vault. Within the porch and above the reredorter is a lobby with a late 17th-century doorway
on either side surmounted by an oval panel, that
on the E. having the arms of Edward the Confessor.
The Busby Library (Plate 164), E. of the lobby, is
said to have been built in 1656, and has a round-headed window in the S. wall. The elaborate ceiling
has a saucer-dome in the middle surrounded by a
wreath of fruit and flowers and having spandrelpanels enriched with foliage; the four angles of the
ceiling have each a small saucer-dome with a wreath
similar to the middle feature and enclosed in a
square panel of twisted foliage with cherub-heads;
between the angle panels are rectangular panels
similarly enriched; the cornice has acanthus
ornament. The bookcases against the E. and W.
walls are of the same date and are enriched with
carved foliage. There are also two original tables
with turned legs.
The range S. of the cloister comprises the frater
with the passage known as the Dark Cloister at
its E. end.
(40). The Dark Cloister (12 ft. wide) is of late
11th-century date (Plate 147) and has a plain
barrel-vault, plastered on the soffit; there are
plain round archways at the N. and S. ends lining
with the side walls of the frater. Above the
N. arch, in the cloister, is a blocked window
of two square-headed lights and set in one of
them is a large early 16th-century moulded corbel.
In the W. wall are two 18th-century 'bull's-eye'
windows. The dark cloister is continued southwards by a passage, of rather less width, with
an outer or western wall, probably of the 14th
century. The northern half of this wall has a
long range of windows now forming twenty-three
lights, they have moulded oak frames and square
heads, all of mid 16th-century date. Further
S. is a 14th-century doorway with chamfered
jambs and altered head. At the S. end of the
passage is an archway, possibly of the 16th
century, and inserted when that part of the reredorter was destroyed. The original passage turned
W. at this point to skirt the rere-dorter. Above
the N. end of the dark cloister is a modern classroom with a mid or late 16th-century fire-place in
the E. wall; it is of stone and has a moulded
three-centred arch.
(41). The Frater (130 ft. by 37 ft.) flanks the
cloister on the S. side. It was built late in the 11th-century and originally extended further towards
the W. as the existing W. wall cuts across the
last bay of the Norman wall-arcade on the S. wall.
About the middle of the 14th century the side walls
were apparently raised and a row of tall windows
inserted in the N. wall. At the same time the
Norman wall-arcades were built up flush with the
face above and the floor-level was lowered, either
to make a more lofty hall or to insert a low undercroft beneath it. In 1544, shortly after the
Dissolution, the building was unroofed and two
thirds of the S. wall were destroyed. The western
part of the building is now occupied by modern
workshops, latrines, etc., but the eastern part is
open garden.
The E. wall has a 14th-century wall-arcade of
eleven bays and ranging with the Norman arcade.
Each bay is divided by three clustered shafts
with moulded bases and foliated capitals, and the
heads are moulded, two-centred and trefoiled.
The stone-work is much weathered and near
the end has been cut away for a 17th or 18th-century doorway, now blocked with brick. The
four northern bays are filled in flush with the
wall and further S. in the fifth and eighth bays
are the oval windows of 17th or 18th-century date.
Above the heads of the arcade the wall is
modern.
The N. wall (Plate 161) is standing to the plateline and has an 11th-century wall-arcade, of which
the bench is about 6 ft. above the former floor-level.
The arches are of one plain order and spring from
circular shafts with plain cushion capitals with
square grooved abaci and chamfered bases. The
stonework is much weathered away and the arcade
has been built up; two bays have again been opened
out, but the shafts are missing. Below this arcade
the wall-face is very rough, as though the early
footings had been cut back when the floor was
lowered. In the eighth and tenth bays of the S.
cloister-alley are doorways (Plate 152), for which see
description of the Cloister. Above the arcade is a
much weathered string-course and above it a range
of nine 14th-century windows. Each is of two
cinque-foiled lights in a two-centred head with a
moulded label. The internal splays have attached
shafts with moulded bases and foliated capitals.
All these windows are blocked on the mullion face
except the first, which is blocked to the face of the
wall. Above them is a row of moulded and carved
angel-corbels, the angels apparently carrying shields.
The corbels are not spaced with the windows and
indicate a roof of eleven bays.
The S. wall has been destroyed except for the
return at the E. end and about 34 ft. at the W.
end. In the E. return is the E. jamb of a doorway
formerly with a segmental-pointed arch and probably opening into the staircase to the pulpit. The
remaining western part of the wall has a Norman
wall-arcade similar to that in the N. wall, and of
which the westernmost arches have been partially
unblocked. Cutting into this arcade is a 14th-century archway with a moulded semi-circular
arch and responds with clustered shafts having
moulded capitals and bases. It is blocked on
the outside face and the blocking has a square-headed window, probably of the 16th century
and now also blocked.
The frater building originally extended 33½ ft.
W. of the existing end-wall, which is perhaps of
the 14th century. A portion of the late 11th-century W. wall still remains at the N. W. angle,
the outer or W. face being treated with squares
of tufa, freestone and red tiles set diamond-wise;
above this work is a range of 14th-century square
cusped panels; lower down is part of the jambshaft of a 12th-century window. In the N. wall
is a staircase in the thickness of the wall and
entered by a narrow doorway, now blocked, with a
three-centred head in the parlour or vestibule to the
cloister. The staircase is steep and straight, leading
up in two flights to a doorway opening on to the lead
roof of the S. walk of the cloisters, like the blocked
doorway at the foot of the stairs. About two-thirds of the distance up the stair is a landing with
a recess on the N. side, in which is a shelf, now
broken, supported by a middle mullion and originally pierced by four circular holes. In the S.
wall of the upper flight are two shapeless holes
formerly trefoiled loops into the frater; down
the S. side of the stairs is a groove. It is
suggested (see Archaeologia, Vol. 53, p. 161)
that the shelf on the landing contained
a filtering cistern; the whole is probably of the
14th century.
(42). The Misericord with its sub-vault adjoined
the frater on the S. near its W. end. The upper
storey has gone except for a portion of the E. wall,
but there are considerable remains of the sub-vault
(45½ ft. by 27 ft.), which have been uncovered
by excavation. The E. and S. walls are probably
of late 11th-century date and there are remains
of an original round-headed arch or doorway in
the S. wall. In the 13th century the building was
reconstructed and a stone vault inserted; the
moulded bases of a number of the vaulting-shafts
remain and two on the N. side can still be seen
under a modern floor. The S. wall of the two E.
bays was pierced in the 15th or early in the 16th
century by two depressed arches. The entrance
from the frater in the N. wall has a filling of similar
date with two openings in it. In the N. bay of
the W. wall the base of a 14th-century archway
was found opening into a corridor running W.
There are no remains of the middle row of columns.
It is probable that the great kitchen adjoined
the misericord on the S. and was bounded on the
E. by Ashburnham House.
(43). The Prior's Lodging, now Ashburnham
House, lies parallel to and 48 ft. to the S. of the
frater. It is a 14th-century rectangular building of
rubble, refaced and altered in brick in the 17th
century. The house was originally of two storeys,
the kitchen occupying the W. part. In the N. wall
of the ground-floor are remains of windows,
probably of the 14th century, one has a 15th-century cinque-foiled head, but the majority of them
have been much altered and blocked; there is also
a 14th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and
segmental rear-arch; above the doorway externally
is a corbel, probably indicating a former 'pentise';
further E. is part of the hollow-chamfered jamb
and square head of another doorway. At the
point of junction of the western cross-wall is a
semi-circular recess, part of a former staircase to
the floor above. In the S. wall the only mediaeval
feature now showing is the E. splay of the middle
window of the kitchen. Projecting E. from the
main building is a short length of corridor formerly
communicating with the dark cloister but now
forming part of the house. In the N. wall is a
16th-century window of three square-headed lights
and partly blocked; there is a similar window in
the blocking wall at the E. end of the corridor.
In the S. wall is a 14th-century doorway with
chamfered jambs and two-centred head.
There is no direct evidence of the date of the
reconstruction of the prior's lodging, but the
balance of probability seems to favour the first
few years after the restoration of the Stuarts.
Early in the 19th century the house was much
altered and the existing top storey was added.
As re-built the house consists of the original
block of the prior's lodging with a long addition
on the N. side. It was formerly of two storeys
with attics, but is now of three. The 17th-century
walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled.
The S. Elevation has a projecting wing at the
E. end. There is a brick band between the ground
and first floor and the windows have rubbed brick
heads.
The N. or Rear Elevation has similar windows,
a band between the lower storeys and a moulded
cornice between the first and second floors. The
doorway in the centre is set in a brick projection
with a cornice; the doorway has an eared architrave.
Interior: The middle room on the ground-floor
has a pavement of square stones set diagonally
In the E. wall is a 17th-century fireplace flanked
by large upright trusses each with a terminal
cherub attached; they support a moulded
cornice. The W. room, formerly kitchen, has two
old chamfered beams in the ceiling. The back
middle room has walls covered with large bolection-moulded panelling with a moulded cornice enriched
with guttae, etc. In the E. and W. walls are
elliptical-headed doors of two folds with moulded
architraves. Further S. in the W. wall is a square-headed doorway with a two-panel door. In the
E. wall is a similar but sham door to correspond.
The W. part of Bishop Thomas's room is original
and has a plaster cornice enriched with egg-andtongue ornament.
The staircase (Plates 166 to 169) has elaborately
panelled walls divided into bays by fluted Ionic
pilasters supporting an architrave, cove and cornice and standing on panelled pedestals, with
enriched mouldings continued along as a dado.
Below this is an enriched string-course and a lower
range of panels. The main stair forms an oblong on
plan but projecting to the E. is an annexe into which
it is continued and which has at the angles, including the salient one, engaged Ionic columns and a
free column on the line of the staircase-rail. The
stairs have broad moulded hand-rails and widely
spaced balusters of the Palladian Ionic form.
Resting on the coved ceiling is an elaborate oval
lantern consisting of an open gallery surmounted
by a saucer-dome of plaster. The main ceiling
has an enriched band within the cove, conventional
foliage enrichments in the spandrels and a rich
wreath of flowers round the opening of the lantern.
The gallery of the lantern (Plate 166) has a
parapet partly solid and partly balustraded, and
on it stand Ionic columns grouped in threes and
supporting the base of the dome. The dome has a
broad wreath of fruit and flowers and an enriched
cornice.
The drawing-room, now the reading-room (Plate,
165), on the first floor, has an enriched plaster
ceiling, coved at the sides, with rectangular panels
at the ends and a round panel in the middle having
a wreath of fruit and flowers; this round panel
was formerly surmounted by a dome, removed
when the top storey of the house was added in
1821. The room to the S. is lined with enriched
panelling, with cornice and dado; the doorway,
from the staircase (Plate 168), is flanked by
Ionic pilasters, and has a fanlight filled with
pierced conventional foliage; the ceiling has an
enriched plaster band.

Ashburnham House
To the W. of the cloister is an open court, partly
built over; it was no doubt occupied before the
14th-century rebuilding by the W. or cellarer's
range, of which a portion of the W. wall at the
S. end is still standing; it shows traces of the
position of the former roof corbels. In the 14th
century the cellarer's department was moved to
the W. side of Dean's Yard. Continuing the S.
walk of the cloister westwards is the Outer Parlour
or Entry. It is in two divisions and was re-built
in the second half of the 14th century by Abbot
Litlington. Both divisions have a stone vault of
two bays with diagonal, ridge, subsidiary and wall
ribs; the bosses at the intersections are carved
with roses, foliage, a rose with four leopards'
faces, a shield with the arms quarterly [argent]
quartering [gules] fretty [or] with a bend [azure] over
all and the crowned initials N. L. for Nicholas
Litlington; the vaults spring from grouped shafts
flanked by hollow mouldings. In the N. wall
of the inner division is a blocked 14th-century
doorway and two much altered windows. The
doorway between the two divisions has moulded
and shafted jambs and moulded two-centred arch
with an ogee crocketed label with carved finial
and crowned head-stops. The much restored
archway, at the W. end, has moulded and shafted
responds and a moulded two-centred arch. In the
S. wall are three modern doorways.
(44). The Abbot's Lodging, now the deanery and
the college hall, adjoins the church on the S. W. It
consists of four ranges of building round a courtyard
(Plate 172). The S. wall of the courtyard may
be of the 12th century and the early abbot's camera
probably extended S. from this wall over the outer
parlour. The whole lodging was reconstructed
under Abbot Litlington, late in the 14th century,
and much extended; it then included the hall,
Jerusalem chamber, kitchen and offices on the W.,
the range comprising the vestibule or entry on
the S., a narrow range or corridor on the E. communicating with the church and the rooms over
the parlour. Abbot Islip built the Jericho parlour
with the adjoining chambers early in the 16th
century and vaulted the entry from the Conventual
parlour. In 1606 Dean Neile built a small addition
E. of Islip's building. The main building on the
E. of the courtyard and the house over the S. W.
angle of the cloister, now part of the deanery, was
built or re-built probably by Dean Williams (1620–
44). Other alterations and additions to the E.
range were made by Deans Sprat and Atterbury
late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. There
are small modern alterations.
(45). The Abbot's Hall (Plate 170), now
the College Hall (52½ ft. by 27 ft.), was built in
the second half of the 14th century and is of
four bays with a dais at the N. end and screen
at the S. end. The side walls have each four
windows restored externally and each of two
cinque-foiled and sub-cusped lights with a transom
and tracery in the two-centred head with
a moulded label; N. of the windows in the E.
wall is an early 16th-century doorway with
chamfered jambs and four-centred head and a
plain oak door with two strap-hinges; S. of the
windows in the same wall is a late 14th-century
doorway with moulded jambs and two-centred
head; it is approached by a flight of steps, covered
by a modern porch. The S. wall of the hall is
timber-framed with two doorways, each with
moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square
embattled head; the southern doorway has a nail-studded door with heavy strap-hinges. The mid
17th-century screen has plain posts and cornice
and is surmounted by a gallery with a three-sided
bay projecting in the middle; the gallery-front
has a series of panels with round arches, having
base, impost and key-blocks, the latter with small
pendants; the panels in the projecting bay have
an ornamental pierced circle in the middle of each;
above the rail is a range of rectangular panels,
some close and some with gratings and made to
open. The low pitched roof has five trusses, of
which the two against the end walls are original
and have heavy tie-beams with moulded strainers
and braces with traceried spandrels; they support
dwarf king-posts with curved braces to the central
purlin or ridge; the other trusses have original
tie-beams and king-posts but the plain strainers,
curved braces and wall-posts are probably of the
17th century. In the middle of the roof is the
original louvre or lantern; it is rectangular with
a gabled roof and has a series of openings with
trefoiled heads, eight on the E. and W. and six
on the N. and S. The roof rests on late 14th-century stone corbels with angels holding scrolls or
painted shields-of-arms—(a) Edward the Confessor;
(b) [argent ?] quartering [azure ?] fretty or ? over all a
bend sable ? with three fleurs-de-lis or ? thereon for
Litlington; (c) as (b) but with a border charged
with six mitres or; (d) Abbey of Westminster;
(e) as (c), and (f) as (b). The hall is paved with
grey and reddish white marble squares set diagonally. Four of the tables are of early 17th-century
date and have turned legs. The space S. of the
hall, the former buttery, etc., has been much altered
and has been divided up by modern partitions.
In the wall between it and the abbot's kitchen is
a late 14th-century doorway with a four-centred
head and two rectangular serving-hatches; E. of
the doorway is a second doorway, now blocked.
The Kitchen has a large fireplace recess in the E.
wall with a four-centred arch. At the S. end of
the recess is a square-headed window, perhaps
of the 16th century; further W. is a modern
window. Below the hall is a cellar roofed with
plain joists, set close together. In the E. wall are
two wide doorways with three-centred heads, all
of modern stonework, and two small rectangular
windows.
(46). The Jerusalem Chamber (Plate 171)
adjoins the hall on the N. It is possible that it
stands on the site and may incorporate remains of
an earlier building, but the existing structure is
substantially of late 14th-century date. In the E.
wall is an early 16th-century doorway with a
four-centred head. In the N. wall is a four-light
window of the same date but completely restored
externally; the splays have small remains of
painted drapery. In the W. wall are two windows,
all modern except for the late 14th-century splays
and rear-arches. The low-pitched roof is of three
bays with moulded tie-beams, strainers and curved
braces springing from carved grotesque heads. The
fireplace (Plate 169) in the E. wall has an
elaborate early to mid 17th-century overmantel of
cedar resting on coupled Doric columns, flanking
the opening; the overmantel is of two stages each
of three bays flanked by coupled and divided by
single columns of the Ionic and Corinthian orders
respectively; the three panels of the lower range
and the side panels of the upper range have each
an enriched tablet with broken pediment, etc., the
middle panel of the upper stage has a large shield
of the arms of Dean Williams impaling the See of
Lincoln and the college of Westminster. The glass
(Plates 17, 18, 19) in the N. window is of 13th-century date and comprises seven panels, of vesica,
quatrefoil or round form, representing the following
subjects—(a) the massacre of the innocents, (b) the
stoning of Stephen, (c) the Resurrection, (d) the
descent of the Holy Ghost, (e) the Ascension, (f)
St. Nicholas drawing the ship to land with the false
pilgrim falling overboard, (g) the beheading of St.
John the Baptist; there is in addition an early
17th-century shield of the arms of Dean Williams.
The tapestries include five portions of two large
panels in a series representing the life of Abraham,
by Bernard van Orley, executed at Brussels by
W. Pennemaker, c. 1540–50. These panels, now
cut up and the parts dissociated from one
another, are as follows: (1) The return of Sarah
from the Egyptians; four portions (a) about half
the main subject; (b and c) two portions showing
men with treasure, a camel, etc.; (d) part of a
border with figures of Luxus, Caristia, etc.; (2)
The circumcision of Isaac; main portion of subject
with small subject on left—the birth of Isaac; the
right hand part of this panel, representing the
expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael is now in St.
Faith's chapel. The other two panels of tapestry
are (a) a 17th-century Flemish panel of Rebekah
giving drink to Abraham's servant at the well and
(b) a late 17th-century English or Flemish panel
of the Apostles at the Beautiful Gate of Jerusalem,
an adaptation of Raphael's cartoon of this subject.
On the S. side is a painting on oak of Henry IV.
The basement below the Jerusalem chamber
has heavy oak posts with curved braces supporting
the floor above; towards the S. end is an old
timber partition with a 17th-century door. There
are three original windows with square heads.
Between the Jerusalem chamber and the S. W.
tower of the church is a narrow area, and on the W.
wall (that of the chamber) are two rows of stone
corbels indicating the existence of a building on
this side before the erection of the tower.
(47). The Jericho Parlour forms part of a
range of three storeys built early in the 16th
century. The parlour itself (Plate 177) is on the
first floor and is separated from the Jerusalem
chamber by a small lobby with a window in the S.
wall of three four-centred lights in a square head in
the window are three early 16th-century glass
panels—a portcullis, Tudor rose and wreath and a
three-towered castle, all crowned. The lobby has
also a lamp-niche with moulded jambs, trefoiled
and sub-cusped head, moulded cornice and cresting.
The Jericho parlour has in the S. wall a window
similar to that in the lobby but of eight lights; the
window contains as many panels of glass—the
Tudor royal arms in a Garter, the Confessor's arms
in a wreath, dated 1601, Tudor rose, portcullis and
two eagles, a falcon (?), all with crowns; also two
early 17th-century oval panels with the arms of the
college and the crossed keys of St. Peter surrounded by fragments of the cartouche, etc.;
there is also a large quarry with the badge of
Abbot Islip. The parlour is lined with early
16th-century linen-fold panelling with a little later
panelling. In the E. wall is an original fireplace
of stone with moulded jambs and depressed arch
in a square head. The two doorways have moulded
jambs and four-centred heads; the doors are of
linen-fold panelling. The parlour also contains a
leather-covered chest, probably of the 17th century,
with the words "West Col." in nail-heads. The
lobby to the E. of the Jericho parlour has a modernised doorway in the S. wall approached by a flight
of steps in the courtyard. Further E. is a small
chamber with an early 16th-century window of
three four-centred lights in the E. wall and a stone
fireplace of the same date in the S. wall; it has
a four-centred arch in a square head with shields
and foliage in the spandrels. The basement or
lower floor of the range incorporates a 14th-century wall running E. and W. and forming a
corridor on the S. of the S. W. tower; this wall
contains a 14th-century window with a square
head and an early 16th-century doorway with a
four-centred head. At the E. end of the corridor
is a small chamber with a 16th-century vault of
brick and a square flue or shaft in the N. E. corner,
carried some distance up the tower. The S. wall
of the range towards the courtyard has two early
16th-century windows with four-centred lights and
a doorway of the same date with a four-centred
arch in a square head. The top storey of the range
has three early 16th-century windows of three,
four and two lights respectively, opening on to the
courtyard; the storey contains three main rooms,
two with original ceilings divided into panels by
moulded ribs; the three rooms (Plate 177) are
lined with 16th and 17th-century panelling and
have panelled doors; the fireplaces in the two
western rooms have four-centred arches in square
heads; N. of these rooms is a narrow chamber
with two windows opening into the N. W. tower.
A short lobby further E. communicates with the
abbot's pew (see S. aisle of Nave). On the S. wall
of this range is a lead rain-water head dated 1704.
(48). The Deanery on the E. side of the courtyard is a building partly of three and partly of two
storeys; the external walls are of plastered brick
and the roofs are covered with tiles and lead. The
building is mainly of the 17th and 18th centuries
but incorporates part of the walls of the 14th-century gallery leading to the church. The E. wing
over the W. walk of the cloister was built c. 1631
and has in the E. wall several windows of this date
with solid frames and transoms; in the N. wall
are some late 17th-century casement windows.
At the back of this building is the stone E. wall
of the early abbot's lodging lining with the W.
wall of the cloister. The E. face of the main
block of the deanery has only 18th-century
features. The W. elevation of this block, fronting
the abbot's courtyard, has few ancient features;
the lower part of the wall is of late 14th-century
stonework, now plastered; the upper part is
timber-framed and plastered, and is of doubtful
date. The upper storey at the N. end was added
by Dean Neile in 1606 and has in the S. wall an
oriel window of that date and of three lights with
moulded frame and mullions and a pediment; in
the W. wall of the same storey is a late 17th-century oriel window of four lights; the eaves
have an early 18th-century cove and cornice.
Inside the building the upper parts of two subsidiary staircases are old; that adjoining the lobby
of the Jericho parlour has early 17th-century
flat shaped balusters; the staircase of the E.
wing has mid 17th-century turned balusters,
moulded rail and square newels. On the second
floor one room has moulded 17th-century ceiling-beams. On one wall of the staircase is a panel of
16th-century Brussels tapestry of the 'vase and
arcade' type.
The South Range has a N. wall of rubble, possibly
of the 12th century; in it are two square-headed
windows, probably of the 14th century, and above
them are relieving arches of two earlier windows;
there are remains of other blocked windows higher
up, all square-headed and probably of the 14th
century. The late 14th-century opening into the
Entry has moulded jambs, two-centred arch and
defaced label. The Entry has an early 16th-century stone vault of two bays with moulded
ridge, diagonal, subsidiary and wall ribs with
moulded rings at the intersections; the vault
springs from grouped shafts with moulded capitals
and bases. The late 14th-century archway from
the outer parlour has moulded jambs, two-centred
arch and label with defaced head-stops, one
wearing a mitre; in the rear-arch is a socket and
iron staple for a vertical draw-bar; the oak door
is perhaps of the same date; it is of two thicknesses
of boarding and has a small wicket, probably of
later date, with strap-hinges. In the E. wall of
the Entry are two doorways, the northern modern
and the southern of the 14th or 15th century but
with a 17th or 18th-century wooden frame. In
the W. wall is a blocked doorway with a four-centred head. On the W. wall are two early
18th-century wrought-iron lamp brackets.
(49). Cellarer's Building, etc.—The long
range on the E. side of Dean's Yard was built by
Abbot Litlington in the second half of the 14th
century; the northern part formed the cellarer's
building and the southern the Grammar School,
Bayliff's Hospice, etc. The building is of ragstone-rubble and was originally of two storeys, but
now has a third storey partly of the 18th century
and partly modern. The S.W. front to Dean's
Yard has a series of stone windows, now all
modern, but probably in many cases restorations
of 14th-century windows; there are also a number
of 18th-century sash windows. The Blackstole
Tower in the middle of the range is now incorporated in the later third storey; the gateway
beneath it probably formed the entrance into the
kitchen yard of the abbey. The late 14th-century
outer archway has moulded jambs, two-centred
arch in a square head with traceried spandrels
and a moulded label; above it is a rectangular
sunk panel with a much weathered achievement
of the royal arms, probably of Henry VIII, and
of early Renaissance character; the third storey
of the tower has an old square-headed window
with a modern wooden frame. About 35 yards
further S. is a second Entry opening into Little
Dean's Yard; the outer archway has restored
jambs and moulded two-centred arch with a
defaced label; the third storey above the Entry
rises above the adjoining range in the form of a
tower. The E. front of the range is much covered
by later buildings. The inner archway of the
Blackstole tower has moulded jambs, four-centred
arch and defaced label; the two storeys above it
have each a window with a decayed pointed arch
in a square head, both are now blocked; this
part of the front is recessed in the range and the
N. return wall of the recess has a window of two-pointed lights in a square head. The inner archway of the southern Entry has restored jambs
and moulded two-centred arch and label. The
interior of the range is now in several occupations;
the northern end probably formed a porter's
lodge; the next four bays were part of the cellarer's
building; the portion between the two entries
was the Grammar School in 1461 and the rest of
the range was probably the Bayliff's Hospice.
The porter's lodge has now no ancient features.
The ground-floor of the next four bays has a stone
vault (Plate 174) with ridge, diagonal, subsidiary
and wall ribs dying on to semi-octagonal responds;
the intersections have carved foliage or flower
bosses. In the E. wall are several altered or
blocked windows and doorways. In the southern
part of the range are two slabs of white marble,
carved with heads of Christ and the Virgin
respectively, foliage, fruit, etc. The first floor
has at one point part of the original late 14th-century roof of flat pitch with chamfered tie-beams,
ridge and wall-plate; in the E. wall, near the N. end,
is an original doorway with a two-centred head
and in the reveal of the S. jamb is the start of a
wall-passage or garde-robe. A room further S.
is decorated with paintings (Plate 175) in
brown on white; the work is probably of
mid 16th-century date and includes conventional
peacocks, half-figures terminating in foliage,
monsters and foliated columns and pedestals
of baluster form; above the fireplace in the E.
wall is a shield of the Tudor royal arms with
conventional sea-lions as supporters and flanked
by decorated columns supporting an attenuated
pediment; the timber-studding is exposed in
the S. wall. The next room S. has a late
17th-century cornice for part of its length and
plaster ornaments of the same date in the flat
spandrel of the roof. The entry under the Blackstole tower has a late 14th-century stone vault
with moulded ridge, diagonal, subsidiary and
wall ribs, partly restored in cement; the bosses
are defaced; the vault springs from shafts with
moulded capitals in the angles. In the N. wall
is a doorway with a pointed head and now blocked.
The entry to Little Dean's Yard has a stone vault
in two bays, similar to that in the Blackstole
tower, but with semi-octagonal shafts; one boss
has defaced figure carving. The range between
the two entries has no ancient features except
that the S. bay is divided off by a cross-wall and
has a quadripartite vault of two bays with chamfered
ribs. There are slight indications that the rest
of this range may have had a vault, but it has now
been entirely removed. The range S. of the
southern entry has been completely modernised
and partly re-built.
Adjoining the main range on the E. side are a
number of added buildings and wings forming
part of canons' residences and the house of the
head master of the school. They are none of them
earlier of date than 17th century and much of
the work is modern; the walls are of brick. The
house at the N. end adjoining the parlour is apparently of the 18th century, but contains some
panelling of c. 1600. In a passage are some fragments of floor-slabs. The next house further S.
and on the E. of the cellarer's building is of three
storeys with attics and was added late in the 17th
century. It has some original windows and the
back doorway has an original door with moulded
panels, planted on. The two-storeyed annexe to
the E. is of about the same date and has original
windows with solid frames and a moulded rainwater head. Inside the building the top flights of
the main staircase have original twisted balusters
and square newels with moulded drops. In the
back passage is an original door with strap-hinges,
peep-hole, bolt and chain. The next house to
the S. is partly of late 17th-century date. The
small wing immediately S. of the yard behind the
Blackstole tower has an original well-staircase and
some original windows. The S. wall, fronting
Little Dean's Yard, is of mediaeval rubble at the
base, but above it is of late 17th-century brickwork
and contains a small oval window of that date.
About 50 ft. to the S. of the main range flanking
Dean's Yard is a rectangular building of ragstone-rubble and of late 14th or 15th-century date.
It is now used as a stable and has in the W. wall
two much damaged original windows each formerly
of two trefoiled lights in a square head with a
moulded label.
(50). The Farmery or Infirmary lies immediately to the E. of the dorter range and is
approached by a passage from the dark cloister.
It consists of a Cloister, surrounded by 'Lodgings'
now used as houses by various members of the
collegiate body, and the remains of a large Chapel
on the E. side. It is probable that the late 12th-century farmery consisted of the still partly existing
chapel with a large aisled hall (forming a structural
nave) extending over the site of the cloister, an
arrangement still preserved in many of the large
Benedictine houses. This arrangement was abandoned in the 14th century when the hall, ruined
by the fire of 1298, was pulled down and the
existing cloister and lodgings substituted for it.
The arcade walls were re-built late in the 17th
century and many alterations were made in the
lodgings about the same time. There is also much
modern work in these buildings.
(51). The Little (or Farmery) Cloister (65½
and 64½ ft. E. to W. and 70 and 68½ ft. N. to S.)
is of five bays on each side; the arcades (Plate 180)
were re-built late in the 17th century. The square
piers are roll-moulded at the angles and have
moulded plinths and cornices. The segmental
arches have roll-moulded edges and key-stones
cutting into a horizontal cornice. The plinth is
carried across the openings except in the middle
bay on the W. side, where it is stopped for a gate.
The N. and S. cloister walks are built over, but the
others are not. The ceilings of the E., N. and S.
alleys are plastered and a few chamfered crossbeams are exposed. Excavations in 1922 revealed
the rubble foundations of several buttresses, etc., of
the 14th-century arcade walls. The outer walls
are all of the 14th century except the portion in
the S.W. angle described under rere-dorter. The
various doors and windows are described under
the houses to which they belong. Against these
walls is a 14th-century moulded offset of stone
in lieu of wall-plate.
(52). The Passage (Plate 173) from the Dark
Cloister to the Farmery Cloister consists of the part
under the dorter, already described and the part
under the W. range of the farmery cloister. This
part has at the E. end a 14th-century arch with
moulded jambs and segmental arch on the E. face
and a moulded segmental rear-arch on the W. face.
At the W. end is a 14th-century archway of two
hollow-chamfered orders with a two-centred arch
and plain plinths. Between the two parts the
space is roofed only by a modern glass roof.
On the N. side is a 14th-century wall and in it a
modern doorway. Beyond it was a small room,
of which the roof-line was visible before the
recent restorations.
(53). The 'Lodging' S. of the Passage has a
14th-century doorway in the W. wall of the cloister
with moulded jambs and two-centred arch; it is
now blocked. Inside the building the cross-wall
has another 14th-century doorway with chamfered
jambs, and further S. an early 16th-century fireplace
with moulded jambs and depressed four-centred
head. In the S. wall are two openings into
recesses over the N. drain of the rere-dorter; the
western has a 14th-century doorway and the
eastern has an ashlar vault running N. and S.
Above the modern fireplace in the same wall is
the heavy corbel of a former floor and above it an
early 16th-century fireplace with moulded jambs
and depressed four-centred arch in a square head.
On the first floor on the staircase is a small lamp-niche with a flue. On the second floor there is a
fireplace similar to that in the S. wall, and E. of
it is a locker with a small furnace in the jamb of
the fireplace; above the locker is a lamp-niche.
The large window on the staircase incorporates
parts of the splays of two 14th-century windows
one above the other. On the third floor in the
E. wall is a lamp-niche, and in the same stone
below it is a niche with a drain. The part adjoining
the dorter is known as Litlington's tower and has
on the N. wall a shield of that abbot's arms,
apparently a restoration. The house contains a
late 17th-century carved fireplace, with enriched
trusses and cornice, moved from a destroyed house
adjoining the dark cloister.
(54). The Music Room, formerly the Chamberlain's Store (?), on the W. side of the little cloister,
N. of the passage, has in the E. wall a 14th-century
doorway with moulded jambs and two-centred
arch with a moulded segmental-pointed rear-arch. The door is of the 17th century and of
twelve panels. Further N. is a two-light 14th-century window with the cusping, etc., cut away.
It has a moulded rear-arch. In the N. wall is a
large window all modern except part of the splays.
In the E. splay is a lamp-niche with a rounded head,
a flue and a rough socket; the jambs are rebated.
Further E. is a blocked doorway with hollow-chamfered jambs and four-centred arch. In the
W. wall is a window now covered up and blocked.
(55). The 'Lodgings' on the N. side of the
little cloister now form two houses. The western
house is now of three storeys with attics and cellar.
The walls are partly of stone and partly of brick.
The roofs are tiled. Of the 14th-century building
only the S. wall up to the first-floor level and the W.
wall remain with the foundations of the N. wall in
the cellar. In the S. wall are three doorways; the
eastern and western are of the 14th century with
moulded jambs and two-centred arches and
moulded rear-arches; the western has above it a
relieving-arch of ragstone; the middle doorway
(now blocked) has chamfered jambs and two-centred arch and may be earlier. Further E. are
two windows, one modern and one of two trefoiled
ogee lights in a square head with an original moulded
rear-arch. On this wall is a plain stone tablet to
Thomas Smith, 1663–4. Projecting from the W.
wall is a large stone chimney-stack, which may be
of the 14th century. The rest of the house is of
late 17th-century date and the N. elevation has
bands between the storeys. On this side two
windows of this date with mullion and transom
remain. On the first floor are four similar windows.
Inside the building the staircase (Plate 179)
has turned balusters with moulded strings and
rails; the square newels have ball finials and
moulded pendants. The dining-room on the ground-floor has a fireplace with egg and tongue architrave and acanthus cornice. On the first floor
the drawing-room has a similar fireplace and
early 18th-century panelling. Two panels retain
a stencilled pattern of conventional foliage in
terra-cotta tint. Other rooms have panelling
of similar date. The eastern house is of three
storeys with cellars; the roofs are tiled. The
lower parts of the N., S. and E. walls are of
the 14th century, but the rest of the building
was re-built late in the 17th century together
with the added wing on the N. In the S.
wall are two windows, one modern and one (the
eastern) of the 14th century, restored externally,
with a moulded rear-arch. Further W. is a
doorway, apparently modern. In the N. wall is
a large 16th-century window of five square-headed lights with a transom. The staircase has
been rearranged, but is similar in detail to that in
the western house. In the cellar are two 17th-century battened doors.
(56). The 'Lodgings' on the S. side of the little
cloister now form one house. It is of three storeys,
the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled.
It was built probably in 1687, but the lower part
of the N. wall and the entry or corridor at the E.
end are of the 14th century.
The N. Front. On the ground-floor the doorway
to the corridor is of the 14th century with moulded
jambs and two-centred arch. The two doorways
to the house are similar but almost entirely restored.
Near the W. end is another similar doorway, now
blocked. Between the two eastern doors is the
four-centred head of a destroyed doorway. There
are four windows each of two trefoiled ogee lights
in a square head; the two eastern are restored
and the two western are modern externally but
all probably represent old openings. The upper
storeys are of 17th-century brickwork, but all
the window-frames have been renewed.
The S. Front facing the gardens has a moulded
brick band between the first and second storeys
and a modillioned eaves-cornice. On the ground-floor the middle part of the front has a modern
loggia. The kitchen at the E. end has one original
double-hung sash window. Projecting from this
end is a one-storeyed outhouse of late 17th-century
date with a number of original solid frames and
lead glazing. Adjoining the house on the E. is
the original (14th-century) corridor from the cloister
to the garden. It has a two-centred moulded
doorway and above it a much defaced trefoil-headed window now blocked.
Interior: The house has been almost entirely
modernised inside, but the staircase has an original
(late 17th-century) enriched ceiling with an oval
bay-leaf band in the centre, two acanthus rosettes,
shields, foliage and two masks. Round the walls
is an acanthus cornice. The drawing-room on
the first floor has a ceiling (Plate 178) of similar
type; the main panel has festoons of drapery and
outside a rich band of fruit and flowers. In the
angles are shields with the date 1687. In the
basement below the kitchen is a short length of
mediaeval culvert with a stone vault.
(57). The Infirmary Chapel stood on the E. side
of the little cloister and formed the eastern part of
the 12th-century infirmary. In the middle of the
14th century the western part forming the infirmary
hall was taken down and a wall built across the W.
end of the chapel. The building was mostly
pulled down in 1578 and is now a ruin, of which
parts of the S. wall are the most complete.
The Chancel (22 ft. by 19¼ft.) has the E. wall
standing about 2ft. above the pavement-level and
the N. wall about 3 to 4 ft. high. The inside face
only has been exposed by excavation. In the
N.E. angle is a small fragment of pavement of
4-in. tiles. There are also traces of the former
step to the altar platform. A few feet of the S.E.
angle have been encroached upon by the angle
of a 17th-century house. The S. wall is standing
nearly to its full height and has in it two windows,
probably of the 14th century, with two-centred
heads having traces of labels and segmental-pointed rear-arches. The splays have roll-mouldings, but all the stonework is much weathered and
both windows are now blocked, the E. part of the
eastern window being cut away by the house
already mentioned. At the sill-level of the western
window is a weathered internal string which was
probably stepped up under the sill of the eastern
window, which was at a higher level. Higher up
the wall is a 12th-century string, probably at the
springing level of the former windows. The
chancel-arch no longer exists, but a short section
of the respond remains on each side. It is of the
12th century and has three attached shafts.
The Nave (47¼ ft. by 20½ft.) is of five bays, of
which two and a half bays on the S. are standing
with the columns of the remaining bays on that
side. On the N. side the columns and bases
stand, but only about 3ft. high, and two of them
are under the floor of a modern house. On each
side the E. responds are semi-circular and the
first and third columns are octagonal with the angles
set to the cardinal points; the other columns,
including the W. responds in the W. wall, are
circular and all have moulded bases on square
plinths with a chamfered offset. There are mortices
for screens in the bases of the two western
bays. The S. arcade (Plate 161) has been much
restored; the E. respond capital has weathered
away but that of the first column has scallops on
both sides, as has the second, but they have been
cut away on the N. face. The semi-circular
arches are plain on the S. face, but on the N.
the first had cheveron ornament, of which the
western part remains; the second had embattled
ornament, of which the eastern part remains; and
the third had cheverons on the edge and a roll-moulding, of which the E. spring remains. Above
the arches are traces of a string-course. The
three E. arches are under-built and blocked.
The W. wall is standing about 15 ft. high and
in it is the former W. doorway (Plate 176)
of the chapel. It is of the 14th century and has
richly moulded arch and responds, each with two
groups of clustered shafts with moulded bases and
foliated capitals. Both jambs and arch have a
band of quatre-foiled panelling between the main
members. The moulded label has weathered
head-stops.
The South Aisle (8¼ft. wide) has a portion of the
E. wall standing as well as the two western bays of
the S. wall and the W. end. Between the third
and fourth bays a rubble wall, probably of post-suppression date, has been built across the aisle.
In the E. wall was a window, probably of the 14th
century, of which the N. internal splay remains
with a quarter-round moulding on the edge. In
the S. wall, in the fourth bay, is a late 14th-century
doorway with chamfered jambs and four-centred
arch on the S. face and a moulded segmental-pointed rear-arch on the N. face. In the fifth
bay is a 12th-century window, partly restored
and of one round-headed light recessed in two
plain orders externally and having shafted internal
splays with small scalloped capitals; the rear-arch is also roll-moulded, and below the internal
sill is a 12th-century string-course much weathered
and cut away. In the fourth bay are remains of
the W. part of a similar window, now blocked and
partly cut away by the later doorway. The 14th-century W. wall has a window of two trefoiled
ogee lights under a square head with an oak
lintel internally and all partly restored. Above
it is the offset for a floor and a much weathered
early 16th-century fireplace with a depressed arch.
The North Aisle has been entirely destroyed
except for the W. wall, in which is a window similar
to that in the W. wall of the S. aisle, but now
blocked and also much destroyed; the N. wall,
standing a few feet high, was incorporated in the
modern foundations, and in it was a doorway
with pin and hinge still in situ. Adjoining the N.
aisle on the N. was a room (35 ft. by 16ft.) entered
by a doorway in the cloister with moulded jambs
and two-centred arch of the 14th century. The W.
wall is still standing and near the N. end are the
splays probably of a doorway, now blocked.
Between the doorways is a modern window and
near the southern door is a corbel of a former
floor. The S. wall has been destroyed. The E.
wall has been pulled down except one fragment,
including the moulded N. jamb of a 15th-century
window. Cut through from the angle of the
internal splay is a narrow squint, which implies
the existence of another room further E. The
N. wall has a single-light window, now blocked
but probably of the 14th century. In this wall
are three corbels for a former floor, two plain
and one carved with a lion's head and probably
of the 12th century re-used. This wall is continued
eastwards to join the precinct wall, and a short
distance E. of this room is an early 16th-century
fireplace of brick with a depressed arch, probably
in the second room mentioned above. The first-floor level, as indicated by the corbels, must have
cut across the large window in the E. wall. Also
the squint does not command the cloister door,
as suggested. The room is now an open yard and
coal cellar.
(58). The Infirmarer's Hall (29¼ ft. by 18¾ft.)
adjoins the chapel on the S. and is a one-storeyed
hall of rubble. It has in the E. wall at the S. end
a 14th-century doorway with moulded jambs and
two-centred arch and moulded segmental-pointed
rear-arch. Further N. are two windows of the
first half of the 14th century and of two cinque-foiled lights with a sex-foiled spandrel in a two-centred head; both have a heavy transom, a
moulded rear-arch and are modern externally.
Further N. behind the modern screen is a modern
doorway. The N. wall has a 14th-century doorway and a 12th-century window described under
the farmery chapel. In the gable are two modern
windows. In the W. wall near the S. end is a
modern fireplace probably blocking an early 16th-century doorway, of which the four-centred brick
arch is visible externally. Near the N. are two
doorways, the southern modern and the northern
of early 16th-century date and with moulded
stone jambs and four-centred brick arch. In the
S. wall is a modern doorway, and the western part
of the wall is probably modern. The roof is of
two bays with trussed-rafters and a central truss
with a chamfered tie-beam and octagonal king-post
with broach-stops and curved four-way struts.
There is a second tie-beam against the S. wall but
none against the N. wall. This roof is probably
of the 14th century but has been considerably
restored.
(59). To the S.E. of the chapel is a house which
was built probably in the second half of the 17th
century on an L-shaped plan with the wings
extending towards the W. and N. It is of three
storeys with cellars; the walls are of brick and
the roofs are tiled. All the elevations have been
refaced except the N. end of the N. wing. Set
in the W. wall of the W. wing are a number of
slip-tiles of the 14th and 15th century. They
include heraldic designs as— (a) three cheverons;
(b) England; (c) sown with lozenges on a chief
three lions; (d) and (e) on one tile crowned shields
of the Confessor and England; also a lion, fleur-delis, gyronny, a stag, and many geometrical designs.
Tiles (d) and (e) and two others, one with a pelican
vulning herself in a tree and the other with a
crowned ihc and both with an architectural setting
belong to a series of dado tiles identical with those
still existing at Malvern priory and of mid 15th-century date. The E. wall of the house incorporated and is built upon the precinct wall of the
abbey.
Interior: On the ground-floor the hall has in the
N. wall two late 17th-century windows with solid
mullion and transom. The walls are covered with
late 16th and early 17th-century panelling re-set.
The late 17th-century staircase (Plate 179) has
square newels with round-headed panels with bayleaf ornament and ball finials; the rails and strings
are moulded and enriched and the balusters are
of the square pilaster type with carved capitals
and diminishing shafts with mouldings following
the rake of the stairs. All is of pine except the
balusters, which are oak. Across the hall from
E. to W. is an early 18th-century round arch of
wood with panelled piers and a key.
The dining-room has late 17th-century bolection-moulded panelling. In the E. wall is a fireplace
with an enriched and eared architrave, a carved
frieze and an enriched cornice and a veined marble
slip, all c. 1700. Round the walls is a moulded
cornice. The study has late 17th-century panelling
and fireplace flanked by panelled pilasters and
with a bolection-moulded panel to the overmantel.
The kitchen has in the N. wall a wooden three-centred archway of early 16th-century date and
now glazed; the jambs are moulded. The backstairs are of mid 17th-century date with symmetrically-turned balusters, square newels with
moulded drops; there is a small well, and at the
foot of the stairs is a small arch with a pendant
key. The drawing-room over the dining-room has
bolection-moulded panelling and a cornice with
egg-and-tongue enrichment. The fireplace (Plate
178) has an eared architrave and a cornice with
segmental pediment; the overmantel has carved
swags and carved and panelled pilasters, all late
17th-century. The upper flights of the main staircase have massive turned balusters, square newels
and acorn finials.
(60). The Precinct Wall is standing for a considerable length in Great College Street with a
return wall on the W. side of College Mews. It is of
ragstone-rubble and was probably built in the 14th
century. A long stretch of the N. and E. walls
bounding the infirmary is also standing, and there
is another length of mediaeval walling running
N. and S. and to the S.E. of the chapter house.
(61). The destroyed portions of the abbey buildings, of which some record or remains have been
found, include the Sacristy, Galilee, Bell-tower,
Great Gatehouse, Bridge, and a block of buildings including the Bake and Brew Houses. The
Sacristy was an L-shaped building forming a long
corridor between the N. transept and the nave;
it was probably that ordered to be built in 1250
and no doubt included the chequer, etc., as well
as the Sacristy; the foundations were discovered
in the 19th century but are not now visible. The
Galilee, destroyed about 1666, was a porch added
to the front of the N. transept under Richard II.
The exterior is shown in a view of W. Hollar.
The Bell-tower, destroyed about 1750, was a
square detached building standing about 80 yards
N. of the N.W. tower and on the site of the Middlesex County Hall. When this building was erected
in 1912, the piles and great square concrete raft
on which the tower stood were uncovered. The
Great Gatehouse stood 145 yards to the N. of the
modern N. gateway into Dean's Yard, which
itself occupies the approximate site of the Inner
Gatehouse. The Bake and Brew Houses, and
Great Granary formed an L-shaped block and stood
on the eastern part of Dean's Yard; they were
destroyed in 1756. Remains of a stone bridge
were uncovered in 1904 just to the S. of the modern
S. gateway to Dean's Yard.