Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

This is Part of the Prior's Lodging situated at the north end of the Prior's Mansion (Private Camera). It was converted form the east end of the old Norman reredorter building and was probably converted and improved by Prior Eastry between 1285 and 1300.

Monument Types

• LODGINGS (Medieval to Unknown - 1285 AD?)

Full description

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This is part of the Prior's Lodging situated at the north end of the Prior's Mansion (Private Camera). It was converted form the east end of the old Norman reredorter building (Necessarium which dated to 1096-1135) and was probably converted and improved by Prior Eastry between 1285 and 1300. It consisted of a roughly square shaped structure approximately 30 feet long N-S by 25 feet wide E-W, with chambers on the ground floor for hospitality with the Prior's private apartment and study, called the 'Gloriet' above.

The Prior's Lodgings, or Prior's Mansion as it is also known, is situated immediately north of the Infirmary Hall on the east side of the Dark Entry passage from Prior Selling's Gate. It is a long rectangular shaped building its western wall being part of the east wall of an earlier Norman Necessarium that ran westwards. To the north lays another part of the Prior's Lodgings with a private apartment and a study above called the Gloriet.

Probably built by Prior Eastry between 1285 and 1300 it consisted of hospitality chambers to the south with a doorway into the Infirmary Hall, with a large central hall with the chambers and the gloriet lodgings to the north of it Overall the range measures approximately 185 feet long N-S by 32 feet wide E-W. The Hall appears to be approximately 30 feet N-S by 28 feet E-W.

The Prior's Hall would have been adorned with tapestries and regularly attended at mealtimes by the the convent's guests and servants, as well as by several monk's and the Prior himself.

Willis, R., 1868, 'The Architectural History of the Conventual Buildings of the Monastery of Christchurch in Canterbury' (Article in serial). SKE30206.

John Newman, 1969, The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent (Monograph). SKE7874.

Collinson, P., Ramsey, N. & Sparks, M., 1995, A History of Canterbury Cathedral (Monograph). SKE30201.

Blockley, K., Sparks, M. & Tatton-Brown, T., 1997, Canterbury Cathedral Nave, Archaeology, History and Architecture (Monograph). SKE29723.

Sources and further reading