History:

• Built in the 12th century it was originally a hospital, built by Abbot William de Waterville.
• Between the years 1250 and 62 it was rebuilt by Abbot John de Crux.
• Circa 13th century the bays of the north aisle were converted.
• Circa 15th century a doorway was inserted into the north wall, but it was later blocked.
• Circa 15th century Table Hall was built.
• Circa 17th century the roof and part of the north aisle were removed.
• Circa 19th century the wall above and several windows and doors were replaced.
• Circa 19th century the south aisle was altered.
• Presently only the shell of the main hall remains and some of the side aisles; they are used as either office space or as private residences.
• Table Hall is used as office space but has retained much of its character.

Architecture:

The infirmary is a large building complete with aisles, a nave, seven bays and a chapel.  It has aisles in the north and south with a chapel to the east; which is 21.34m (70 ft) east to west.  The arcades have tall, slender, but strong piers with a square core and four semicircular shafts.  The arches have many deep mouldings and the outer aisle windows are tall and shafted with shaft-rings.

The Infirmary’s main hall is 35.1m (115 ft) long by 17.1m (56 ft) wide and was divided into seven bays by piers with four engaged shafts; which separate the hall from the aisles.  The hall would have had an open timber roof, and the clerestory would have resembled that of Ely.  The wall above, the roof and part of the north aisle were removed in the 17th century, at the same time as the Lady Chapel, in to order to repair the damage caused during the civil war. 

Surviving parts of the outer wall would have been rebuilt and in each aisle’s bay would have been a large 2-light window framed on the exterior by banded detached shafts, each with moulded capitals and bases. 

On the inner face of the west wall of the hall is a wall of four bays; with clustered shafts and with the 5 bay west window above.  Projecting beyond the west wall on either side was a rectangular stair turret leading to the two aisles and the infirmary roof.  Traces of both these remain.  It is clear from the surviving 13th century two-light lancet windows found in both aisles that they had been converted by the time into 2-storey rooms.  By the 15th century many of these rooms would have had their own fireplaces and would have been used by the infirmary staff. 

The eastern two bays of the north aisle were converted during the 13th century and both the mask corbels and below the eaves and the lancet windows date from this period. 

The main door to the infirmary was probably on the north side.  In the sixth bay of the south aisle was a second door, with marble nook shafts, which lead into a passage or lean-to, which has now been destroyed. 

Adjoining the northeast aisle of the infirmary is a 2-storey partly timber framed building; this is known as Table Hall and was a 15th century addition.  The north wall has fireplaces on both storeys; the ground floor consists of a single room with two, two-light windows on the east that have partly been destroyed by a modern recess. It has moulded wall plates and ceiling beams, while above are attics with the original 15th century buildings.  A later wing runs from an extension on the north side forming a small courtyard between the building and the infirmary.

The whole length of the south aisle remains standing, though much altered, and is now used as private residences. 

The decorative details of the building reveal the hand of workmen trained to serve the local taste with richly carved arcading and mouldings. The mouldings and capital forms continue to be deep and complex like those of the cloisters.  The windows however, may have been influenced by knowledge of the new London court style.