Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Positioned immediately north of the Kitchen is the Larder and Offices of the Kitchen, with Guests Lodgings above. It is a rectangular shaped building, built over two storeys, measuring approximately 100 feet long E-W by 26 feet wide N-S.

Monument Types

• KITCHEN (Medieval to Unknown - 1397 AD?)
• OFFICE (Medieval to Unknown - 1397 AD?)

Full description

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Positioned immediately north of the Kitchen is the Larder and Offices of the Kitchen, with Guests Lodgings above. It is a rectangular shaped building, built over two storeys, measuring approximately 100 feet long E-W by 26 feet wide N-S. Its eastern end appears to have been the Larder for supplies for the Kitchen whilst to the west were the Kitchen Offices separated by a central dividing wall giving two equal sized large rooms. The Larder lay adjacent (west of) the Larder Gate which lead into the Green Court. The house had plain square-headed Perpendicular windows with mullions, and four-centred doorways. It was built under the auspices of Prior Thomas Chillenden in 1397 and is described in Chillenden's list as, 'New chambers for hospitality next to the convent kitchen, with new larder below and in the Distribution document as 'the whole lodging from the Larder gate to the Pentise Gate, with the chambers there called Heaven and Paradise'.

The two levels of Chambers above were additional Guest Accommodation under the control of the auspices of the Cellarer, with one long series of chambers on the first floor and the second contained wholly in the roof . Originally the guests probably entered the hall via the archway in the gatehall of the Pentise Gate immediately to the west, and ascended by a vice, or newel-staircase to the upper chambers over two floors. The arrangements were changed after the Dissolution when the building became houses. An external wing was added containing wooden stairs to the upper floors.

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

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

Sources and further reading