By Harold Brakspear, F.S.A. 



205 



out away, as it would have projected awkwardly into the southern 

 room of the range. The western buttress still remains to its full 

 height, divided into three stages by series of sets-off. As late as 

 1732 1 the surmounting pinnacle remained complete, but its upper 

 courses have since been removed. A small piece of the west wall 

 of the church has been incorporated into a buttress at the 

 suppression. The string-course, externally, under the sills of the 

 side windows rises some 18in. before crossing the west end, probably 

 to escape the head of a western entrance. The plinth at this end 

 had an additional member, consisting of a bold roll over the 

 chamfers. 



In the fourth bay from the east is the eastern procession doorway 

 to the cloister. The arch is slightly pointed and formed of two 

 members, with a label over which was cut away when the present 

 cloister was built. The outer member is moulded and rests on 

 jamb shafts with moulded caps and bases, the inner is hollow- 

 chamfered and continued down the jambs. The rere-arch towards 

 the church is segmental with a plain chamfer and the string-course 

 under the windows was returned over the top to form a label. The 

 door was of two leaves, and fastened by a draw bolt, the slot for 

 which is in the west jamb. 



Immediately to the east of the door is a small square-headed 

 doorway, leading by a passage through the wall to the foot of the 

 dorter stairs, 2 apparently inserted in the fifteenth century, and 

 formed on the skew so as to escape the vaulting shaft in the church. 3 

 This alteration would enable the canonesses, when attending the 

 night offices, to proceed direct from the dorter to the church 

 without passing through the cloister. 4 



In the sixth bay from the east was the western procession 



1 S. and N. Buck's engravings, 1732. 



2 This passage had to be built up solid a few years ago to prevent any further 

 settlement in this corner of the building, which showed signs of failure. 



3 The door was fastened with a draw bar on the dorter side — the slot-hole 

 for which is lined with wood. 



4 At the sister house of Burnham, in Bucks, where the dorter stairs were 

 arranged in a similar position, there was never a night door to the church. 



