The Cloisters
Through the central door in the cellarium wall the buildings of the Cloister will be seen standing to full height, the great central tower of the church looking particularly impressive from this point.
When it was first built the western twenty five feet of the present Cloister was walled off to form a yard or alley for the use of the lay brothers. Scars of this wall still exist against the north and south walls.
The remainder of the cloister formed a perfect square, with covered alleys about twelve feet wide extending around all four sides. In contrast to the sombre and robust gritstone of the major buildings, the arcades separating the alleys from the central courtyard were of delicately carved creamy white magnesian limestone, quarried near Tadcaster. Although no evidence now exists above ground level, the excavated remains of this structure show that it consisted of a low wall surmounted by pairs of tall narrow columns carrying a series of semi circular arches. The whole effect must have been particularly light and airy.
The vestibule forming the western half of the Chapter House has clustered columns, round arches and vaults of the twelfth century, while the Chapter House proper has a single span rib-vaulted roof and tall lancet windows. These were installed during the thirteenth century rebuilding of this section, when a number of disused stone coffins were incorporated into the walls.