The Canons [Prebendaries] met here daily to discuss Cathedral business, but now meet only on informal occasions. The room is used for exhibitions and concerts etc.

Brass plates over each stall show the place of each man’s ‘prebend’ ie. the farm or estate from which his income was formerly derived.

Windows formerly of stained glass described in 1634 “scenes for the history of the Bible” were smashed by Cromwell’s soldiers.

It was said that the little carved heads over each stall represented characters alive at the time of building: but we never had 6 Popes and 10 Bishops at one time.

The roof is technically know as a tierceron vault. 32 ribs or tiercerons spring from the central shaft. This is not a central fan vault, but the fan vault developed from it. *

*from an signboard inside the Chapter House

The early 13th century, ten-sided Chapter House has hosted Parliament three times, and the College of Canons still meets here. Built as a meeting room to transact the business of the canons, the Dean’s throne is thought to date from the 1330s. The stained glass windows of the late nineteenth century give snapshots of the history of the Cathedral from William the Conqueror to John Wesley.*

*From Lincoln Cathedral, The Story So Far – A 1000 Year Journey That Still Continues

Above your head is the central boss with the lamb and flag.  It is fixed at the bottom of the king post which rises to the apex of the roof.  Now look for this boss and the king post in the model.

The king post is constructed from three huge oak trees spliced together.  Its weight is held by the whole structure, primarily supported on four horizontal beams crossing in the centre (where the human figure is standing in the model).  Eight queen posts and eight pendant posts terminate at the base with the ring of sixteen bosses visible above your head.  Almost every timbre is numbered, which indicates that the roof was pre-made at ground level, then dismantled and reassembled in situ. *

*From an information board a York Minster.

It is here where the monks would assemble every morning with the abbot presiding over the meeting:

This began with the reading of a lesson and a chapter from the Rule of St Benedict, after which saints and benefactors were commemorated and on certain feast days the abbot delivered a sermon.  Matters of the abbey business and estate administration might then be discussed by the community.  The chapter meeting was also the occasion when faults were confessed, accusations made and penances assigned.  Monks who had transgressed the Rule might be expected to fast on bread and water;  flogging was reserved for more serious breaches of discipline.*

The tiles in the bottom photograph are situated in the centre of the chapter house.  This wasn’t there original location, but all the tiles are from Buildwas.

*Information from English Heritage guide book.