8 



The other buildings of the monastery have been entirely destroyed. The site 

 of the cloister is now part of the rector's kitchen garden. East of it was the chap- 

 ter house, and probably a passage leading to the infirmary, a distinct building 

 with its own chapel and kitchen, where the aged monks lived, free from care and 

 from the austerities of the monastic life. Beyond this p.assage came the fratry or 

 day room of the monks, vaulted with stone, without fire, and partly open to the 

 outer air. Over these was the dormitory, with a passage leading to a high door- 

 way in the north transept wall, by which the monks entered the church when 

 they came direct from their beds to the midnit^ht and early morning services. 

 This doorway exists, but the staircase leading down into the transept has been 

 destroyed. 



On the north side of the cloister would be three rooms, the calefactory, which 

 was a small room with a fire, where they might warm themselves in very cold 

 weather ; the refectory, with a pulpit in which one of the monks read while the 

 rest dined, having first washed their hands at a stone lavatory built in the cloister 

 wall ; and lastly came the kitchen. 



On the west side came the day room and dormitory of the lay brethren, and 

 probably the residence of the abbot. In the outer court, quite away from the 

 cloister, would be the barns and workshops, and the abbey mill, where a mill now 

 stands. As both rich and poor made a monastery a place for rest and lodging, 

 there would be guest houses and an almonry close to the entrance gate. 



Numerous fragments of carved work, belonging to the early part of the 13th 

 century, have been found. They consist of foliage and sculpture equal to any- 

 thing that was executed during the Gothic period, comprising bosses from the 

 vaulted ceilings and carved capitals from the cloister buildings. Two mutilated 

 effigies of knights of the 13th century are preserved in the church, and two large 

 bosses from the vaulted roof ; these represent the coronation of the blessed 

 Virgin, and the Virgin with the infant Saviour. One small figure of a bishop, 

 lying in the church, has long been a matter of curiosity. It is supposed from 

 the inscription to have been placed over the burial place of the heart of John 

 de Breton, Bishop of Hereford. One very interesting piece of stonework was 

 found in an excavation lately made near the west end of the nave ; it seems to 

 have formed part of a shrine made in the 13th century, and when found was 

 richly gilded. Many other beautiful bits of 13th century work are preserved 

 in the garden at the rectory. 



Towards the close of the 15th century, the ancient rule of the Cistercians 

 against towers became relaxed, thus, at Fountains, Kirkstall, and Furness abbeys, 

 towers were then built, and it is evident to me that the tower at Dore abbey is 

 of that date, although it has always been said to be part of Lord Scudamore's 

 work. Indeed, the consecration Deed, in which we might expect to find an 

 authentic account of what was done, says that he furnished the church with "a 

 chancel and seats, a belfry and bells." But it is abundantly clear that he did not 

 build the chancel but only roofed it — that is in my judgment what he did to the 

 tower, putting also in it two floors and the framing for the bells, all as set forth 

 in John Abell's contract. 



