Bishop's Palace, St Davids

The kitchen was part of the last phase of Bishop Gower's building work in the 14th century. Here, meals were prepared for diners in the bishop's hall and for huge episcopal feasts in the great hall.

Food was prepared in such large quantities that enough would generally be left over for the servants; it might also go to the poor gathered at the princinct gates. Servants carried the meals along the first-floor passageway that connects the kitchen with both halls.

In the center of the room is a wooden replica representing the octagonal stone pillar that stood here. The pillar supported four archways that divided the room into four sections. Subconical vaults were constructed in each quadrant, and were drawn together into two pairs of chimneys on the ridge of the roof.

The windows are set high in the walls to let down on to the working areas. In the east wall there is a mural recess, perhaps some form of oven, and the drain through which the kitchen slops could be poured away.

The south wall has an ordinary fireplace and a domed cupboard, and the west wall has another domed cupboard to the left of the door. To the right of the door are the remains of the hatch through which finished dishes were passed to those servants who might be waiting to take the food along the passage towards whichever of the two halls was in use.

Bishop's Palace (13th-14th centuries) in St Davids, Wales.

Travel Resources

• St Davids Map - our detailed interactive map of St Davids, plus hand-picked links to more
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