is the old treasury, rich in
records, and the vestries for canons, king's scholars, and choristers.
The alley opens at the end into what is now called the crypt (see p.
85). This was undoubtedly the common hall of the monks. It is a spacious
stone-vaulted chamber. The columns are low and massive, with simple
moulded caps, from which the chamfered vaulting ribs diverge. Over the
hall or crypt is the dormitory, which for a long time formed part of a
residence attached to one of the stalls. It is now, however, used as a
library. It occupies the whole of the western side of the cloister, and
is 194 feet long. It was originally subdivided, by wooden partitions,
into separate sleeping-rooms for each monk. Its massive roof of oak is
worthy of attention, the tree trunks being merely roughly squared with
an axe (see p. 99).

In the south alley was the refectory and the monks' common dining-hall.
The original building is now entirely altered, though there remains
beneath it a very early crypt, with plain, short square piers, and a
simple quadripartite vault without ribs. Another portion is covered by a
wagon-head vault. Whether the original refectory was of similar
architectural character it is now impossible to say, as, whatever it may
have been, it was removed early in the sixteenth century and rebuilt,
and after the dissolution of the monastery was used by the Minor Canons
of the church as a common hall. It seems to have fallen into a bad state
of repair, and was again entirely reconstructed by Dean Sudbury
(1661-1684), who was elected to that office immediately after the
Restoration. He converted it into a library, to which use it is still
put. The account of this building, given in the "Antiquities of Durham,"
is of sufficient interest to bear quotation.

"In the _South_ Alley of the Cloysters," says our authority, "is a
large Hall, called the Frater-house, finely wainscotted on the
_North_ and _South_ sides; and in the _West_ and nether Part
thereof, is a long Bench of Stone in Mason-work, from the Cellar
Door to the Pantry or Cove Door: Above the Bench is Wainscot Work
two Yards and a Half high, finely carved, and set with imboss'd Work
in Wainscot, and gilded under the carved Work. Above the Wainscot
was a large Picture of our Saviour Christ, the blessed Virgin
_Mary_, and _S. John_, in fine gilt Work, and most excellent
Colours; which Pictures having been washed over with Lime did