| Summary : Lavatory tower constructed in the 1160s as part of the water system devised by Prior Wilbert for Christchurch Monastery. It was fed by a conduit North-East of the city. Two 12th century drawings show the original layout of the system, including that within the monastery precinct. It is a stone building of eight sides with a lead roof set on the North side f the cathedral. The ground floor, with open arcading, stands on eight columns with Norman arches with a central stem of four composite piers supporting the ribs of quadripartite vaults above. The upper floor was designed to be a laver, or washing place, and had eight spouts to allow for up to eight people to wash at any one time. In 1787 the font was re-sited to this tower and the area was used as a baptistery until 1896 at which time the font was returned to the nave. |