Cloister in the Cistercian Abbey at Roche, South Yorkshire, England.  The cloister, originally, was was a roofed arcade surrounding an open square. Monks spent much of their time here, working, studying and assembling for church or mealtimes. There were sheltered areas for reading and meditating, and facilities for washing near the refectory. Grouped around the cloister were the buildings that provided for the monks’ needs including the chapter house, refectory, kitchen, day room and parlour. This suite of enclosed building formed a sacred area where only the initiated were permitted, i.e. the monks and not the lay brothers or non Cistercians.