Infirmary.

Mentioned in Bishop Redman's visitation reports in 1478 and 1494 (but not in the inventory of October 1538) which record Brother Robert Aston as custos infirmarii 1478 and Brother George Slee, diaconus, as servitor infirmorum in 1494 (C38).

The excavation in 1938 revealed various foundations, complex, with drains, found in the Abbey field 125' east of the slype doorway (the one level with the east wall of the common room). The cloister end of the slype is dated 14th century.  Found:  a fine 13th century painted glass head, fragments of a Near Eastern medieval glass vessel, tiles and pottery and bits of metal including a key.  Also a Malvern series wall tile dated 1457/8, a very poor tile (a 'waster'), therefore made at Dale kiln from a stamp supplied from Great Malvern (C40).

At the end of the slype, which was slightly over 7' wide, they found foundations of a wall running north and south, and further substantial foundations including a buttress to the east of this.  For further details of the infirmary foundations, see C38.

Findings in the following categories:

These foundations were visible in the Abbey field in Ward's time.  He thought they had to do with the Abbot's residence.

5 other infirmaries are known:  Alnwick, Easby, W. Langdon, St Radegund’s, Shap;  possibly also Langley and Croxton (CLAPHAM).  The normal position is east or south-east of the claustral block;  they have a hall of some size, but no evidence of a chapel, and bear no resemblance to the aisled plan of the older orders.  Easby’s is on the other side of the cloister and Alnwick’s is just a mess of foundations (CLAPHAM).

The Little Church was altered c.1480 to create an infirmary and infirmary chapel (WILLIS, supported by C40). This may account for the transformation of the church at this date (C40).

A door connects the infirmary and chapel both upstairs and downstairs (WILLIS).