EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF DALE ABBEY. 1 33 



and all Cistercian Houses. The space above the eastern bay of 

 the Chapter House was probably occupied, as at Easby, by the 

 Muniment Room, which may account for the lower level of the 

 pier beneath. The Slype had a door at each end, and. perhaps, 

 served as the Parlour. From it a small door opened into the 

 Common House, which was furnished with a large fireplace on the 

 east side, where the Canons warmed themselves in winter, this 

 being the only fire they were allowed. A window by the 

 side of the fireplace has a well preserved drain in the 

 cill, with a stone pipe running through the wall. This 

 room was undoubtedly vaulted. On the exterior of the 

 Common House is a very bold and well-preserved early English 

 base-molding, carried most effectively round the projecting 

 chimney. The octagonal top of the chimney itself was found 

 when clearing away the earth. Nearly the whole of this apart- 

 ment is beneath a garden which could not be disturbed without 

 much expense ; consequently, its limit southwards is uncertain. 

 From near its south end two parallel walls, 3 feet apart, extend 

 eastward, which doubtless formed part of the Gong or Garderobe. 

 Of the Refectory, a portion of the north wall is standing, now 

 forming part of a cow-house. On it may be traced the curve of 

 one bay of the vaulting of the Cellarage, which Stukeley says was 

 beneath it. The discovery of a fragment of the foundations on 

 the south enables us to fix the width at 25 feet. On the south- ^ 

 west of the site of the Refectory is a large and singular mass of 

 masonry, now attached to a cottage. It diminishes by several 

 stages upwards, and has on its eastern face a door, or recess, with 

 a stone vault inside. This block may have been part of the 

 kitchen ; but as no further examination can be made without 

 pulling about the dwelling-house, we must be content to leave the 

 question as it is. South of this part of the Abbey, and on the 

 opposite side of the present road, I am told, remain foundations, 

 perhaps of the buildings in the Base Court, which may have been 

 here situated. The whole of the western side of the cloister is 

 still unexplored, for reasons already stated. From Dr. Stukeley's 

 plan, it is evident that this part was standing in 1730, as he is 



