|
You are here:
Roche Abbey: the kitchen
(1/1) |
The kitchen at Roche stood in the
southern range, and was positioned in such a way that it could
serve both the monks and lay-brothers’ refectories. Remains
of the hatch through which food was passed to the monks’ refectory
can be seen in the north-east corner; there were two wall cupboards
to the side. The refectory was entered from a door in the north-east
corner of the building. The arrangement of the interior of the
kitchen was similar to that at Fountains: a large open hearth and
chimney stood in the centre of the room, with two small fireplaces
on one side and a smaller fireplace with a niche for an oven on
the other. In accordance with chapter 59 of the Rule
of St Benedict,
the Cistercians initially prohibited meat to all but the sick.
When this was later permitted it had to be prepared in a separate
meat kitchen. This was probably located to the south of the dormitory,
where an extension was built in the fourteenth century.
<back><next
section>
|