the range wall, and is now covered by a modern lean-to roof. Whether this arrangement of the roof is original or whether there was a gable over the east end forming an extension of the dorter there is nothing to indicate. The apartment was lighted by three lancet windows* in the east wall, and a single lancet in the projecting Windows of Madenz bloaking Exterior Interior Plon Feet portion of the south wall. These windows have pointed segmental rerearches of two hollow chamfers under a moulded label, and externally the jambs and arches have a double hollow moulding with a deep relieving arch over the latter. These have been filled up to within 20 inches of the springing. The side windows have had the sills destroyed by the insertion under each of a small square post-suppression window, low down. The side and east walls would originally have had seats for the convent to sit on during chapter, which was held daily after prime; but no indication remains to show if these were of wood or stone. THE PARLOUR AND WARMING-HOUSE. Northward of the chapter-house is an apartment 481 feet long from north to south by 22 feet wide, of which the east wall has been mostly destroyed. The west wall had near the middle a wide doorway from the cloister, which is shown perfect in Buck's view; but has now been destroyed by the insertion of a modern square door, except the inner north jamb and the springers of the relieving arch on the east face. To the south is a small lancet window with side splays and a segmental rerearch with deep relieving arch over. The north wall has near the middle a small doorway with chamfered jambs and double chamfered segmental arch with relieving arch over. To the east is a locker having an oak head and sill and a rebate for a door. The east wall remains, in its lower part, for about 13 feet from the north end, and has the indication of the original fireplace, which had a projecting breast on the east side to take the chimney.‡ The apartment has apparently served the double purpose of warming-house and parlour; but whether divided by a partition into these two necessary chambers is not clear. There must also have been a way across it to gain access to the infirmary. Though in larger houses. the parlour, where such talking as was necessary was allowed, and the warming-house, where a fire was kept all the winter for the inmates to come and warm themselves, were distinct buildings, there is evidence that in small establishments they were combined in one room. 66 At the Cistercian Nunnery of Kirklees § there was "a parler under the dorter xviij foote square wt a chymney, ij bay wyndowes glasid conteyning xxx foot of glasse.' At Esholt tt of the same order, was at the south end of the dorter range a ffayre parler. . . . and hathe in it a ffayre chimney of stone. . . . . and hathe in it a fayre bay window glazid. and hath a door wt lok and key." And at the Benedictine Nunnery of Thicket was the new parler at the seid west parte by the churche doore, xxiiij foote longe and xx foote brode, wt one baye wyndowe glazid conteynyng xXX foote of glasse, and iij other little glasse wyndowes, and tymbre walls wt a chymney." 66 In none of these cases is any other chamber mentioned that could have been the warming-house distinct from the parlour. * At the extreme north end of the wall is an inserted postsuppression doorway. To the west of this doorway is a late square-headed wooden window of post-suppression insertion. Between the fireplace and the north end was an inserted postsuppression window which has been nearly all destroyed, and at the other end of the wall adjoining the chapter-house are the remains of a fireplace of the same date. § Yorks Archæological Journal, ix. 331. †† Ibid. ix. 324. Ibid. ix. 202.. THE DORTER. Upon the first floor over all the buildings on the east side the cloister was the dorter or sleeping place of the canonesses. It was 95 feet long by 22 feet wide, and it may also have extended over the projecting portion of the chapter-house. It was approached by the steps already described on the west side of the vestry, at the top of which is the later inserted doorway on to the pulpitum in the church. The side walls were pierced by small lancet windows, having chamfered jambs and arches, of which one remains perfect on the east side over the vestry.* There are gaps for seven similar windows in the wall over the cloister. The north wall had in the middle a small doorway with chamfered jambs, of which the lower part remains. The head of the doorway and the gable over have been destroyed; but the former is shown remaining on one of Dr. Bromet's drawings, and was in form a pointed segment. The roof would have been originally constructed with arched rafters, but that still remaining on the portion above the vestry is of considerable age, and dates apparently from the fifteenth century. The principals are formed with chamfered tie beams and queen posts with a chamfered beam from centre to centre of the tie beams to carry a ceiling. There are two purlins on either side, supported by curved wind braces. Buck's view shows this roof remaining for the full length of the range, but in a view of 1787 it only remained to about the middle of the warming-house. The dorter floor was constructed with wood supported on beams and joists, which formed the ceilings of the lower apartments. THE REREDORTER. At the north end of the eastern range is a building on plan like the letter L, of which the upper floor, *To the north of this window up to the chapter-house the wall has been destroyed by post-suppression insertions, which consist of a fireplace over that beneath and a two-light window of similar character to that below, but the latter has been partly destroyed and walled up. Now walled up with brickwork. |