The Cloisters-West Range: This was where the Lay Brothers lived, their Dorter, or dormitory, was on the upper floor, and there was once a toilet block at the southern end. The Lay Brothers had their own night stair down to the Nave of the Church. The ground floor had food store-rooms and the office of the Cellarer, who bought in the food the monks could not grow themselves. He also sold the farm produce the monks did not need. He was one of the few monks who had regular dealings with the outside world. Look for the door nearby in the south range – it led to the kitchens. Where the monks probably cooked the meals.
The Reredorter: At the southern end of the east range is the Reredorter, meaning ‘the room at the rear of the dorter’. This was the main toilet block. The monks reached it from their dorter over the east range. It was built over the main drain. How did this help to keep the monks healthy? Look for this Privy on the ground floor, jutting out over the drain. It was at the end of a small passage leading from the warming-room. What did it save the monks from having to do? The Abby’s water supply came from the river upstream of the buildings, and the waste was returned through the main drain downstream. Clean water was piped in underground channels to parts of the Abbey where it was needed. The waste water was channelled to the main drain. The Romans built the first sewers in Britain. After they left, the monks, who could read the Romans’ Latin books, became the country’s experts on building and civil engineering. Ordinary people lived in a much simpler (and less healthy) state.
