Greyfriars, Bristol

Add links
Coordinates: 51°27′29″N 2°35′44″W / 51.458098°N 2.595649°W / 51.458098; -2.595649 (Grey Friary, Bristol (site))
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Greyfriars, Bristol
Greyfriars, Bristol is located in Bristol
Greyfriars, Bristol
Location within Bristol
General information
Architectural stylemonastic
Town or cityBristol
CountryEngland
Coordinates51°27′29″N 2°35′44″W / 51.458098°N 2.595649°W / 51.458098; -2.595649
Construction started13th century
Demolished16th century

Greyfriars, in

Bristol Dental School
.

History

The friary was established at some time before 1234, this being known because Henry III granted wood for fuel to the friars in that year,[1] followed by further grants of oak wood and fresh fish landed at Bristol.[2][3] The friars wore long grey coats, with a grey hood or cowl, hence the name, grey friars.[4] Originally located within the town walls, the friary was moved to Lewin's Mead in 1250. This followed the diversion of the river Frome into St Augustine's Reach. A marshy area on the north bank of the Frome was drained and some of the clay and rock from the excavations was deposited on it.[5]

The earliest church on the site was approximately 50 by 9 metres (164 ft × 30 ft). It was later enlarged with cloisters, a bell tower and a chapter house being added.

Bristol City Museum houses some stained glass which was recovered from the chapter house, probably after the dissolution of the monasteries.[5] Writing in the fifteenth century, William Worcester described the area of the precinct as roughly bounded by the modern Upper Maudlin Street, Lower Maudlin Street, Lewin's Mead and Johnny Ball Lane. The friars had extensive gardens devoted to horticulture.[7] There were also two lime kilns and the whole was surrounded by freestone walls.[8]

A report in 1538, by

Henry VIII granted the friary, together with other dissolved houses, to the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol for a "consideration of £1,000 cash and a yearly fee farm rent of £20".[12] The Mayor had earlier petitioned the king, saying "The Grey Friars of Bristol is of the foundation ... of the town, built by ancient burgesses at their cost; we should like it to repair the walls and quay and to make a wharf."[13]

Post-dissolution

The site has been redeveloped many times in subsequent centuries; amongst other uses, a Moravian church and a chocolate factory have occupied premises there.[14] It is currently occupied by an office development, also called

Bristol Dental School
.

Traces of the abbot's house were discovered during building works in 1989 and a small oval window was incorporated into the new building.[5] Archaeological investigations have found graves with human remains, dating to the thirteenth to fifteenth century,[16] and a medieval conduit,[14] similar to one excavated at Saint Augustine's Abbey in Bristol.[17]

References

  1. ^ "In 1234 Henry III granted wood for fuel to the Friars Minor of Bristol"; Close, 19 Hen. III, m. 36.
  2. ^ Close, 20 Hen. III, m. 9
  3. ^ Bristol Common Council (1900). Bickley, Francis B. (ed.). The little red book of Bristol. Bristol: W. C. Hemmons. pp. 89–91.
  4. ^ Weare, p.vii
  5. ^ a b c "History of Bristol Dental School's site". Bristol University. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Bristol Greyfriars". PastScape. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  7. ISBN 978-1-116-88508-8
    . grey friars.
  8. ^ Weare, p.94-97
  9. ^ Wright, Thomas (1843). Three chapters of letters relating to the suppression of monasteries. London: The Camden Society. p. 211.
  10. ^ "Friaries - Bristol". British History Online. University of London & History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  11. ^ Weare, p.93
  12. ^ Weare, p.94
  13. ISBN 978-1-4437-8123-7
    .
  14. ^ a b "Bristol Greyfriars, Investigation History". PastScape. English Heritage. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  15. ^ "Greyfriars, Lewins Mead, Bristol, BS1 2NR". NovaLoca. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  16. PMID 6797606
    .
  17. ^ Boore, E.J. (1989). "The Lesser Cloister and a medieval drain at St Augustine's Abbey, Bristol" (PDF). Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. 107: 217–222.

Works cited

51°27′29″N 2°35′44″W / 51.458098°N 2.595649°W / 51.458098; -2.595649 (Grey Friary, Bristol (site))

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greyfriars,_Bristol&oldid=1189268005"