Cowdray House, Midhust

Gate House
Court Yard
East Range: Porch, Buck Hall, Dinning Parlour
Chapel & Grand Staircase
North-east corner
North Range
North-west corner
South-west corner
South Range
South-east corner & Kitchen
Key to dates & Owners

South East corner - The Kitchen Range

Plan of S E corner and Kitchen Tower In the southeast corner of Cowdray is the massive hexagonal kitchen tower. Its internal diameter is 26ft or 30ft from corner to corner and because it was so substantial it was the only part of the house that did not get badly damaged in the fire. The kitchen is on the ground floor and within the four massive arches along its south and east sides are the fireplaces.

On the outside of the tower, going up the west side, is a stair turret leading to the room above the kitchen. At he time of the fire, this room was used as a Muniment Chamber for storing documents and manuscripts. The room is now used as the Museum.

Shortly after the fire, another floor was inserted in the kitchen about 12ft up, to form another room that was used as an audit chamber. It was lighted by the existing kitchen windows. One of the two fireplaces that were built for it still remains up on the south side of the kitchen. During the restoration of Cowdray about 1915, the floor was removed and the kitchen restored to its full height.

East and west sides of Kitchen Tower

Inside Kitchen

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