chapter-house

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chapter-house. Building for assemblies, business, meeting, maintenance of discipline, etc., associated with cathedral, collegiate, and conventual churches, often situated on the east side of the cloisters, but sometimes on the north side of the church with access through a vestibule or trisantia. In cathedrals or large churches, chapter-houses in England were often polygonal on plan (e.g. Lincoln and Wells—see illustration cathedral), with or without central piers supporting the vaults, with stalls around the perimeter. Polygonal examples sited on the north side perhaps were suggested by the plan of the Constantinian basilica of San Pietro, Rome (begun c.333).

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chapter-house

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chapter-house