Architecture and Meaning in Cistercian Eastern Ranges

Abstract

The uniformity of Cistercian claustral ranges allows for a level of analysis beyond the functional attribution of different spaces. Even in the absence of sculptural iconographic schemes, it is possible to detect meaning in surviving remains. In this paper, the entrances from the east cloister alley into the various rooms of the east range are shown to be carefully nuanced and to display a range of meanings. While the importance of the chapter-house is stressed by the architectural enrichment of its façade, the relative status of the book room and the parlour appears to have changed over time.