The western wall of the chapter house is gone, and only some portions of a later wall remain. Owing to this the western compartments of the
Fig. 903.—Balmerino Abbey. Chapter House, from North-West.
vaulting have fallen, all except the part shown by strong lines at the south side of this compartment, which merely holds together by the tenacity of the mortar. Unless means are shortly taken to support this fragment, it will soon give way and come to the ground. There was a continuous seat round the entire chapter house. The recesses at the east end on the north side are modern ([Fig. 904]).
The east wall of the chapter house ([Fig. 905]) still remains; it contains two windows, having square heads, built with radiating stones, and probably had mullions with tracery. The southmost of these windows was, in the later occupation, converted into a doorway, with fan lights over (see [Fig. 905]).
During this period the chapter house formed a part of the residence, the eastern part being a hall, with some kind of screen or division between the pillars and the responds, and having a door through the northern archway, of which door the ends of the stone lintel still remain on each side. A large fireplace was constructed at the centre arch, and the chimney flue still remains, as shown on the Plan of the vaulting (see [Fig. 901]), with the ribs crossing the flue. About this time the wheel staircase, seen projecting into the cloister, was probably built. The chapter house finishes on the top with a row of corbels similar to what is seen on the pele towers; but the whole is so covered with ivy and abundant vegetation on the roof that further elucidation of this part of the building is impossible.
The details of the chapter house, as seen in the vaulting and the carved work of the caps of the piers and corbels ([Fig. 906]), belong, probably, to the first half of the fifteenth century. Adjoining the chapter house is a vaulted apartment about 28 feet 9 inches long by 11 feet 6 inches wide, and provided with a seat on either side. It is entered from the east by a pointed doorway, and is unlighted by any windows. It was probably the slype. To the north of this is the last building of the eastern range, which is believed to be the penitentiary. It contains three cells; the eastmost one, which enters from a hatchway in the vaulted roof, measures about 8 feet by 6 feet, and is lofty. It was lighted with a small window, and probably contained a garde-robe. The adjoining cell shown on the Ground Plan is divided into two—a lower and an upper cell, the latter entering from a hatchway in the roof, and the former being some steps down from the ground level. The lower cell is provided with a stone seat on each side, and so, perhaps, are the others; but they are so encumbered with rubbish that their details cannot be made out.
Of the other buildings surrounding the cloister nothing remains except the indications of the inner wall of the west wing, shown by dotted lines on Plan, which gives a breadth to the garth, from east to west, of about 104 feet.