224 



Lacock Abbey. 



In the east wall of the range in the cloister between the infirmary 

 passage and the return wall of the north range were two trefoiled- 

 headed recesses rebated for doors, with sills 16 inches above the 

 floor. These would be used for the accommodation of books. In 

 the 14th century the northern recess was cut down, the head altered 

 to a pointed arch, and made into a doorway through the wall. 



The Warming -House. 



Northward of the infirmary passage was the warming or common 

 house. 1 



This was not entered directly from the cloister, as was usually 

 the case, but from a passage under the east eiid of the f rater, which 

 will be described later. It is divided into two aisles of four bays 

 each by three columns down the centre. The vaulting is of semi- 

 octagonal ribs and seems to have been completed at the same time 

 as the side walls, against which it was supported on moulded and 

 carved corbels. The central columns are cylindrical with moulded 

 caps, and have been underpinned at an uncertain date, and the 

 bases renewed. 



The east wall has in the three southern bays wide pointed 

 segmental rere-arches for the windows, with hollow chamfers on 

 the angle. 



The tracery was removed in the 16th century and small two-light 

 square-headed windows inserted in the openings, except in the 

 second bay from the south, which was blocked by the sub-structure 

 for a fire-place of that date. 2 These in turn were removed in the 

 18th century and the sills cut down to the ground. Each window 

 recess had a double window-seat on a step 18 inches from the 

 ground, and probably another step in front projecting into the 

 room. Externally each bay is divided by a plain square buttress 

 with two sets-off in its height, resting on a small chamfered plinth. 

 The original outer arches of the windows and the jambs remain. 



1 " Not far from the chirche they schall have a fyre-howse or chawfying 

 hows wher they may warme them in wynter." — Arundel M.S.S., 146. 

 Vide Aungier's Hist, of Sion, p. 296, appendix. 



2 Shown on Buck's view, already referred to 



