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Monument details
| HER Number: | TR 15 NE 1222 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | The Cellarer's Hall (Domus Hospitum), Christchurch Priory |
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Summary
The Cellarer's Hall, called in the twelfth century at Christchurch priory 'Domnus Hospitum', is one of several buildings which survive in part dating from the mid to later twelfth century. This is a rectangular shaped building measuring some 120 feet long NE-SW by 22.5 feet wide NW-SE.
| Grid Reference: | TR 1505 5801 |
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| Map Sheet: | TR15NE |
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| Parish: | CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT |
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Monument Types
- BUILDING (Medieval to Unknown - 1165 AD?)
Full description
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The Cellarer's Hall, called in the twelfth century at Christchurch priory 'Domus Hospitum', is one of several buildings which survives in part dating from the mid to later twelfth century and appear on Prior Wibert's Waterworks Plan of c. 1165. This is a rectangular shaped building measuring some 120 feet long NE-SW by 22.5 feet wide NW-SE. Access to the hall built over an undercroft of seven bays, is gained via a transverse staircase towards the south end. The building continues for a further two bays which were originally open to the east and at the south end at undercroft level. The building faces onto the Kitchen Court area and this east elevation is treated with a blind arcade. There is a fine portal at the foot of the staircase. The doorway was described as 'A fair door, over which is cut in the stonework the resemblance of the Holy Ghost, in the Dove's form, descending on our Saviour; and under his feet the statue of an Archbishop (happly the founder) in his pontificals' (Somner 1640).
There is a huge segmental brick-built arch spanning over 26 feet between the south-east corner of the 'Domus Hospitum' and the refectory this was a butress of the open sided building, constructed at the end of the medieval period.
Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out a building survey in 1986-7.
Willis, R., 1868, 'The Architectural History of the Conventual Buildings of the Monastery of Christchurch in Canterbury' (Article in serial). SKE30206.
Bowen, J., 1987, 'Domus Hospitum' Building Recording (Article in serial). SKE30211.
Sources and further reading
| Cross-ref.
| Source description | | --- | Article in serial: Willis, R.. 1868. 'The Architectural History of the Conventual Buildings of the Monastery of Christchurch in Canterbury'. |
| --- | Article in serial: Bowen, J.. 1987. 'Domus Hospitum' Building Recording. |
