Cowdray House, Midhust, West Sussex title banner, a history of a magnificent 16th Cent house, destroyed by fire in the late 18th Cent
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South west corner

A GUIDE TO COWDRAY.

South-West Corner
The southwest corner block matched that to the north, though it was a little larger and more remains, including the south and west walls, complete with bay window. The library was on the first floor and held a grand collection of books in glazed cases.

South Range
The south range, like that to the north, is reduced to its foundations, but unlike its counterpart it was divided into two sections and was much wider, widening even more at its eastern end. On its court side it had a very large bay with two flanking stair turrets, to match that to the north, while to the south it had a square tower containing a passage, small room and garderobes. The ground floor of the range was used as a cellar except at its wider eastern end, where it was probably used for the kitchen office and scullery. The first floor was one long gallery until 1784 when it was converted into a suite of bedrooms and dressing rooms. Also the Viscount Montague's quarters seem to have been at the eastern end. The south range joined with the east at the pantry. Above this was the breakfast room and in the east corner, over the buttery, was a spiral stair leading down to the main hallway running through the house. The three doors to the south led to the buttery, kitchen entry and pantry, all contained in a rectangular block between the hall and kitchen. The way to the kitchen was through the kitchen entry, a narrow passage 26ft long and 7ft wide. This came out into an open triangular kitchen court, across which meals had to be carried. The court was later covered over.

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