and of Nagington and Hisland to be given to a chamberlain, who was to arrange supplies of clothing. The diet at Haughmond seems to have been relatively varied and less austere than in most monastic institutions. In 1280 147 sheep and a calf were supplied to the abbey. Tithes of sea fish were exacted at Nefyn and the abbey had fisheries on the Dee and Severn, but it seems unlikely that fish were supplied fresh from the further fisheries. Ranulf of Chester's grant allowed the canons to purchase annually 6000 salted herrings. These were bought at Chester on special terms. In the 12th century the abbey was granted half a swarm of bees in the woods at Hardwick: it may be that mead was made, although honey had a symbolic connection with the austere life because of its association with John the Baptist, to whom the abbey was dedicated. Diet seems to have been improved in the early 14th century by the same process of earmarking revenues to it. In 1332 Abbot Nicholas of Longnor, as part of a more general package of reforms, issued an ordinance on the abbey's culinary arrangements. This allocated the proceeds from the churches at Hunstanton and Ruyton XI Towns, together with those of the Dee and Severn fisheries, to the purchase of meat and fish. Longnor arranged for a new set of kitchens to be constructed: Fuel, flour, peas, cheese, butter, and pottage were still to be provided from the general accounts. Longnor also ordained a piggery: Two loads of flour were requisitioned annually for pastry. It is unclear to what extent the large quantities of meat actually formed part of the monastic diet, as there was also an infirmary on the premises and this must have absorbed some of the food supplies. The kitchener was ordered to render account to the abbot four times a year. A cellarer was responsible for the supply of both beer and bread, including that required at the abbey's granges. the abbot ate from the same kitchens as the canons and could feed guests free of charge when on the premises, but he, the steward and the chaplain were to feed themselves when away from the abbey. Abbot Longnor established a substantial garden at the abbey and in later centuries a dovecote was installed there, providing another convenient source of meat. In the absence of much documentary evidence,