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Abbeys]


Dictionary  of  English  Church  History


[Abbeys


The  Infirmary  or  '  Farmery '  was  not  only
the  hospital  for  the  sick,  but  also  the  abode
of  infirm  monks  or  those  who  had  been  pro-
fessed fifty  years.  It  was  a  very  important
feature  of  every  abbey.  At  Fountains  there
were  two :  one  for  the  Conversi,  situated  to
the  south-west  of  the  Cellarium ;  and  another
for  the  monks  at  some  little  distance  south-
east of  the  church.  The  remains  show  that
it  was  a  splendid  thirteenth- century  hall,
with  chapel,  kitchen,  and  offices.
The  Abbot's  House  was  placed  between
the  Infirmary  and  the  Monks'  Dorter.  A
long  covered  passage  connected  the  Abbot's
Lodging  with  the  east  end  of  the  church,  and
another  connected  the  Infirmary  with  the
south-eastern  corner  of  the  Cloister.  There
were  besides  a  malt-house,  a  brew-house,  and
a  mill  (the  latter  still  in  use).  The  system
of  drainage  was  thorough  and  complete.  The
size  of  monastic  drains  has  often  given  rise
to  the  silly  tales  of  underground  passages  to
the  nearest  castle  or  nunnery,  miles  away.
