§ 62.
The Cistercian dorter and rere-dorter shew
no important variation from the habitual plan. The
position of the rere-dorter, at the end of the dorter
or at right angles to it, or, as at Furness, in a separate
building, was dictated by convenience for drainage.
The room above the chapter-house was sometimes
separate, as at Kirkstall and Valle Crucis, but was
open to the rest of the dorter at Buildwas and
Fountains. It may possibly have been appropriated
to the abbot in the first instance, and afterwards, like
the second dorter at Canterbury, may have been used
by the obedientiaries or by the prior. At Valle Crucis
the room contains a fireplace and is entered by
a passage on the north side, which also leads to a
small room next the church. Originally the day-stair
to the dorter was placed in the eastern range of
buildings, between the parlour and the dorter sub-vault:
clear indications of this remain at Fountains
and Kirkstall, and the day-stair is still in this
position at Cleeve. But in most cases the stair was
afterwards removed and placed against the west
side of the sub-vault, between the eastern range and
the range opposite the church, in the position which
in Benedictine houses is generally occupied by a
passage to the outer buildings. By a most unusual
arrangement, the dorter at Waverley was on the
ground-floor of the range, raised only by a few steps
above the cloister. There was no upper floor, although
a room between the dorter and parlour was divided
into two stages
[11]. The chapter-house was an undivided
oblong building, vaulted in three bays; and there
was, of course, no special night-entry to the church.
