Refectory
Located in the west wing, the refectory has a rectangular floor plan and a structure of parallel arches.
Located in the west wing, the refectory has a rectangular floor plan and a structure of parallel arches. Dating back to the building’s first epoch, it is constructed from exposed brick arches in a similar style to Moorish cloisters.
When first constructed, it was covered with a gabled roof. The walls of the refectory are up to 1.70 m (5 ½ ft.) thick in some places, initially making us think of the concept of a fortress.
The refectory underwent a series of improvements at the beginning of the 18th century; it was paved with bricks, the pitcher was replaced with a new one made of stone, and stained glass windows were installed. There were also seven long tables made from cypress wood and a pulpit from where friars gave readings.
In 1773, a group of Italian monks refurbished the refectory. Their work consisted of constructing a false barrel vault, which hid the initial vault and the Gothic-Moorish two-tone arches of its early years.
The pitcher was also removed, and the stone font put in its place as a washbasin is still in existence today. Stained glass windows were installed in the 19th century.
When the Trenor family acquired the building following the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of 1835, they made a series of improvements to this room to convert it into a ceremonial hall. They constructed a fireplace at one end, topped off with a bust of the Eternal Father. A wooden imperial staircase, the design of which was inspired by the golden staircase found in Burgos Cathedral, was installed to join the refectory to the armoury on the upper floor.
At the base of this staircase can be seen two lions – the symbol of Jerome. Their work also opened up the refectory to the outside, to connect it to the magnificent French romantic style garden commissioned by the family from the renowned landscape architect Nicolas Forestier.
