The South Gate Inn

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Property: Second & Third Floors

Location Refs: Home Page | Occupants | Business | Property: Ground floor and Cellar

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Plans of Property

Plan Showing:

• Outline with room numbers (GIF: 471 x 687 x 16 col, 158.4 kb)
• Ground & Cellar levels (GIF: 935 x 680 x 16 col, 310.9 kb)
• Second & Third floors (GIF: 973 x 642 x 16 col, 306.5 kb)

Staff Corridor

Doors lead off the hall to the bedrooms of Othos, Gerilda, Shokil and Hildena, and Jerend and Elthena. A angled flight of stairs leads from the southern corner of the hall down to the staff entrance hall.

Room 12: Othos's Room (10'6" by 11'6")

Othos' Room is decorated in a pale malachite green walls above dado height, with light oak wood panelling below. The floor is of smoothed floorboards with a small rug in the centre. The single door leads into the corridor. The room is illuminated by a small window facing out on to Merchant's Round and a good quality brass oil lamp on the chest of drawers. Other furniture includes a small clothes press, full of blue and brown doublets and breeches (size F), a chest and a single bed. Above the bed hang a short bow, rapier and buckler shield.

The chest contains various personal effects including a mastery quality razor and his savings in a small leather pouch (roughly three dozen schillings in gold and a few pennies). The top drawer of the chest of drawers contains notebooks and writing equipment, the others contain a variety of clothes, especially underwear, and some leather pouches, bags and belts.

Room 13: Gerilda, Shokil and Hildena's room (11'4" by 17'7")

The room of Jerend and Elthena's younger children is whitewashed with a smoothed wooden boarded floor. A small fireplace in the north-western corner of the room provides heat and light, as does a small window overlooking the courtyard. The room is entered from the staff corridor.

The room is furnished with a double bunk bed (Shokil and Hildena's) and a single bed (Gerilda's), a chest of drawers, a large clothes press and three chests. The chest of drawers and clothes press contain their garments; consisting, in particular, of short colourful dresses (size E), much repaired tunics and breeches (size D) and pretty dresses, tunics and leggings (size C). The chest contain their personal belongings which do not amount to much value.

This room gives the only access to the family's and staff's bathroom.

Room 14: Bathroom (11'4" by 7'6")

The bathroom is roughly plastered with whitewashed walls and smoothed wooden boarded floor. The bathroom can only be entered from the bedroom of Jerend's younger children which means the bathroom is only used during the day. The room is dominated by a large wooden tub in the northern corner of the room, and a garderobe, overlooking the courtyard, in the western corner. Shelves along the north-western wall and lining the eastern corner, hold various bottles of cleansers and cosmetics, towels and scrubbing brushes. The room is heated by a small fireplace, which has a kettle permanently mounted above it to provide water for the bath. A small chest is kept in the room which contains sand used to mop up spilt water.

Room 15: Jerend and Elthena's Room (14'1 by 16'7" ft)

The master bedroom of Jerend and Elthena is finished in smooth plaster painted pale green with architectural panels of cream, a small tapestry hangs on the wall (south-eastern) opposite the four poster bed. The floor is of smooth boards which are covered by a medium sized rug in the middle. The room is illuminated by a large window overlooking Merchant's Round which can be secured by a shutter. The single door on the south eastern wall leads through to the corridor. Candle lanterns stand on either side of the bed, one a small decorated cupboard and the other on a chest of drawers. Other furnishings include a large clothes press and two chests. The room is heated by a large open fire which has a elaborate wrought iron surround and flue.

Their bed is covered with a boldly quilted bedspread, predominately yellow with wild flowers embroided on it; the surrounding curtains are white with daisy chains embroided up the hems. The clothes press and chest of drawers contain Jerend's and Elthena's clothes, mainly breeches, tunics and yellow and blue dresses. The couple also have elaborately embroidered dress clothes made from the best quality materials which they ware on important occasions such as high feast days. The two chest contain personal effects such as combs, razors, mirrors, mementoes and minor heirlooms.

The small cupboard is secured by a visible large complex padlock and a concealed seven lever lock to which only Jerend has the keys, it is lined on the inside with 1/4 inch thick iron plate. This strong box is where Jerend keeps all his valuables, comprising: his mother's jewellery (a gold necklace of good quality set with a single large azure stone, matching ear-rings and a silver ring of high craftsmanship consisting of a dragon clasping a small blue sapphire in its claws); a bejewelled (paste) ornamental dagger; his savings from the inn which amount to just over four hundred schillings, mainly in gold coin, but with some pennies; four bottles of imported wine of the highest quality (worth at least six schillings each) and most importantly of all, his late master brewing lore tome and diary,

Room 16: Gallery to Public Common Room (29'4" by 21'10" OA)

The gallery, which stands twelve feet above the public common room floor, is constructed of timber. The gallery is the remains of the floor which originally formed a complete second floor to this building. It is illuminated by oil lanterns placed on each of the four small tables. The gallery is reached by a long stair which leads down in to the public common room, and by a short flight which goes to the guests' study room.

Patrons using this area have to bring their own drinks up here, since the bar staff don't serve here. Typically couples share a bottle of wine brought up on a tray with two cups, though business deals are sometime agreed here.

Room 17: Guests' Study Room (31' by 12'4")

The rather grandly named Guests' study room houses three large tables for use by the Inn's guests. The walls consist of beige painted vertical clapboard with floorboards cut from broad planks. The tables are separated from one another by curtains hanging from the ceiling beams. Each table is illuminated by a large window. Patrons use this room for discussions, playing cards, or for drinking away from the bustle of the public common room.

Four doors lead from the room, the one to the east leads into the public common room gallery (locked after the bar closes at night), whilst the one to the south-west leads in to the dormitory (this door is latch bolted from the dormitory side). The other two doors on the south eastern side lead to Atheld's bedroom and the Stewards bedroom (occupied by Serend and his wife Jilnea). Near the eastern door is a garderobe used by the patrons of the public common room gallery as well staying guests.

Room 18: Atheld's Room (10' by 10'6")

Atheld's room is quite small, the walls are of polished vertical clapboarding, whilst the floor is constructed from smoothed wide boards. His room is entered from the guests' study room. Illumination is provided by a small window overlooking the courtyard, whilst heating is provided by a small fireplace. The room is furnished with a single bed, a clothes press and a chest.

The press contains a mixture of clothes (size F), cloaks, doublets, tunics, breeches, leggings etc., all well worn, in a mixture of dark or earthy colours. The chest contains a variety of personal belongings, a set of well crafted throwing daggers, a standard helmet, and a money pouch containing three mithral guineas, a couple of dozen schillings and a large sapphire and gold broach in the shape of a flying beetle. Under the bed are a wooden round shield, a shortbow, quiver and arrows, and a long sword in an ornamental scabbard.

Room 19: Serend and Jilnea's Room (16'3" by 10')

The room of Serend and Jilnea is well appointed, with white washed vertical clapboarded walls and a well polished broad planked floor. The room is entered directly from the guests' study room. A small black and white patterned rug stands in front of the door. The room is furnished with a double bed, beneath a small window, a small clothes press, a chest of drawers, a desk and two chests. A small fire, inset into the wall, provides heat, whilst a small candle stick on the desk provides enough illumination to be able to read or sew.

The clothes press contains a mixture of breeches, tunics and dresses (size F) in sombre colours. The top of the chest of drawers contains smaller items of clothing, whilst the bottom two drawers contain a sewing kit and bolts of uncut cloth. The desk is normally cluttered with something being repaired or made. The chests contain various items of personal effects, but nothing of any great value save a ivory comb.

Room 20: Dormitory (21'8" by 47'11")

The dormitory contains thirteen single beds each with a chest, which are hired to guests by the night. The dormitory is entered from the guests' study room or from the ground floor dinning hall via a stair case in the north western corner of the floor. The same area has a stair case up to the third floor corridor leading to the private rooms. The walls are of rough plaster and lathes painted with yellowing whitewash; the partions, which gives some privacy to the sleepers are of timber frame construction with a whitewashed wattle in fill. The floors are of smooth floorboards. The room is heated by a small fireplace in the south eastern end of the room, which also serves to heat water for the bath in the eastern corner, which is screened of from the rest of the room. A garderobe is situated in the western end of the room, whilst stair down to the dining hall and up to the private rooms occupy the northern corner.

The bed in the southern corner is normally occupied by Hektor, Jerend's apprentice. His chest contains a few personal possession, but nothing of any great value, and a sack containing his underclothes (size D). His tunics are provided by Jerend and are kept with the Inn's linen (room 8).

Room 21: Corridor

The corridor walls are whitewashed plaster over lathes, which mean that a careful listener can overhear conversations going on in the rooms. The floor is of smoothed floorboards. Stairs lead down to the second floor dormatory from the northern end of the corridor, whilst a garderobe is situated on a small spur to the south-west. All the guests' private rooms lead of from this corridor, which are (in order NW to SE):

• "Our Lady's Suite" a two room suite
• "The Pink Room" a twin room
• "The Green Room" a twin room
• "The Scribe's Study" a room
• "The Bridal Room" a double bedded room
• "The Solar" a Private Room with three beds

Room 22: "Our Lady's Suite" - twin room (9'4" by 12'4")

Our Lady's suite is the principle guest suite in the Inn, consisting of a twin bedded room for servants or guards, and a double bedded master room for the principles. It can be hired by the night or for longer. The suite is named for the goddess Peoni and contains imagery from her cult.

This room is decorated in creamy yellow with a polished block wood floor. The furnishing consist of two single beds and two chests. The linen is embroidered with a chain of daisies round the hems.

Room 23: "Our Lady's Suite" - master bedroom (8'4" by 12'4")

The master bedroom of Our Lady's Suite is covered from floor to ceiling in age darkened panelling with a block wood floor, mainly concealed beneath a large carpet. This 'inner-sanctum' of the "Our Lady's suite" can only be reached, for security reasons from the outer twin bedded bedroom. The room is furnished with a clothes press, chests with integral locks (the keys can be obtained from Serend), a small wardrobe leads of to the north, over the stairs below. The bedspread in this room is decorated with a large embroidered bull, surrounded by a halo of light encircled by a garter interwoven with daisies (this obviously has great religious significance and is worth several schillings to adherents of Peoni). The room is illuminated by a large double window which may be shuttered, in winter Jerend hires out a small wood burning stove for heat.

Room 24: "The Pink Room" Private Twin (8' by 10'4")

This twin bedded guest room is available for hire; it decorated in a pale oxblood limewash which gives it its name. The floor is of simple boards which compliment the wooden bed frames of the two single beds. Two chests complete the furnishings of the room.

Room 25: "The Green Room" Private Twin (9' by 10'4")

The Green room is twin bedded private room it is named for the pale malachite green limewash decoration. This room is slightly larger than the Pink room, hence its premium. The floor is of smoothed floor boards. The room is furnished with two single beds and chests complete the furnishings of the room.

Room 26: "The Scribe's Study" Private Single (9' by 9'8")

The Scribe's study guest room is a single bedded room that has been decorated in a pale azurite limewash with a bleached boarded floor. The furnishings consist of a single bed, a large chest and a set of shelves on the wall, which Serend stocks with a ink block, inkwell, quill, and sand pot. Jerend likes to maintain that this room is regularly used by a famous scribe, who he can't name since that would breach confidence - in fact it is just a ploy to count for the high hire charge.

Room 27: "The Bridal Room" (8' by 9'8")

The Bridal room is the Inn's double bedded private guest room, which is actually used by newly married couples who are travelling south - something that Elthena is keen to promote. Elthena always leaves a small gift, usually a small handkerchief embroidered with a daisy, for newly weds. The walls are whitewashed with smoothed floor boards, and furnished with a double bed, two chests and a couple of shelves.

Room 28: "The Solar" Private Room (21'8" by 10'4")

Hire Cost

The Solar Room is the largest of the guest rooms, often hired out to a small group such as a knight of Larani and his squires. The room is wood panelled to dado height, with whitewashed walls above and polished floorboards, and is divided into two by a curtain hanging from the ceiling beams. The rooms has three windows to provide illumination, and a small fireplace provides some heat. To the north-east lie two single beds and a chest, whilst the other end of the room contains chest drawers and two small chests.

Copyright ©1996 Jonathan M. Davidson, 25/9/96