cellarium

{{Short description|Cellarium or undercroft is a Storeroom, usually in a castle}}

File:Monks' cellarium, Fountains Abbey.jpg, England]]

A cellarium (from the Latin cella, "pantry"), also known as an undercroft, was a storehouse or storeroom, usually in a medieval monastery or castle. In English monasteries, it was usually located in or under the buildings on the west range of the cloister.{{cite book|last=Cook|first=George Henry|title=English Monasteries in the Middle Ages|page=71|publisher=Phoenix House|year=1961}}

The monastery's supplies of food, ale and wines were stored there, under the supervision of the cellarer, one of the monastery's obedientiaries. The cellarer acted as chief purveyor of all foodstuffs to the monastery and as general steward.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11183a.htm Huddleston, Gilbert. "Obedientiaries." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911 He was often assisted by a sub-cellarer.{{cite book|title=Discovering Abbeys and Priories|last=Wright|first=Geoffrey N.|page=17|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2008|isbn=9780747805892}}