GLOUCESTER GREYFRIARS

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Gloucester Greyfriars consists of the remains of a Franciscan friary, which was founded in 1231. Substantial remains of the nave and north aisle of the friary church, dating to the early Tudor period, remain behind and alongside a 19th century house now in use as a library. Remains of the scissor-braced dormitory roof of the friary are also still extant. The church, incorporating the remains of an even earlier church building on the site, was constructed in around 1518. It was built to a Perpendicular Gothic Style with funds provided by the patron, Lord Berkley. The fiary was surrendered to King Henry VIII in 1538, and after it was dissolved the buildings were put to many subsequent uses. In 1643, a siege of the city by Royalist forces caused considerable damage. By 1721 only the nave and north aisle survived, the quire and cloisters, which lay south of the church, having been demolished. In the 18th century several houses were built within the walls and in around 1810, a substantial house was built in Classical Style into the west end of the medieval remains. In the 1960s, the remains of the church to the east were cleared of later structures, the masonry consolidated and the house converted into a public library for use by Gloucestershire County Council. A cemetery originally lay to the north of the church. Excavations in 1966 revealed chapels on the south side of the choir, the site of a tower demolished circa 1700, and pottery of circa 1230 sealed beneath an early floor. The church was built of ashlar and rubble and the extant remains include the remnants of four-light and six-light arched windows (including perpendicular tracery and window heads), walls, floor slabs and buttresses.

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Franciscan friary founded 1231, the church was rebuilt in the early 16th century between 1515 and 1525, incorporating remains of an earlier church. Surrendered to the king at the Dissolution, the building was put to many subsequent uses and in 1810 the westen end was converted to a residence. Only the nave and north aisle survive, the quire and cloisters, which lay south of the church, being demolished. The cemetery lay to the north of the church. The ruins of the church are scheduled and in guardianship, the surviving buildings and ruins are listed. Excavations in 1966 revealed chapels on the south side of the choir, the site of a tower demolished circa 1700, and pottery of circa 1230 sealed beneath an early floor.

Gloucester Greyfriars consists of the remains of a Franciscan friary, which was founded in 1231. Substantial remains of the nave and north aisle of the friary church, dating to the early Tudor period, remain behind and alongside a 19th century house now in use as a library. Remains of the scissor-braced dormitory roof of the friary are also still extant. The church, incorporating the remains of an even earlier church building on the site, was constructed in around 1518. It was built to a Perpendicular Gothic Style with funds provided by the patron, Lord Berkley. Surrendered to the king in 1538, after the Dissolution, the buildings were put to many subsequent uses. In 1643, a siege of the city by Royalist forces during the Civil War caused considerable damage. By 1721 only the nave and north aisle survived, the quire and cloisters, which lay south of the church, having been demolished. In the 18th century several houses were built within the walls and in around 1810, a substantial house was built in Classical Style into the west end of the medieval remains. In the 1960s, the remains of the church to the east were cleared of later structures, the masonry consolidated and the house converted into a public library for use by Gloucestershire County Council. A cemetery originally lay to the north of the church. Excavations in 1966 revealed chapels on the south side of the choir, the site of a tower demolished circa 1700, and pottery of circa 1230 sealed beneath an early floor. The church was built of ashlar and rubble and the extant remains include the remnants of four and six-light arched windows including perpendicular tracery and window heads, walls, floor slabs and buttresses. (1-5)

National Grid Reference SO8314018360 (centroid of the object) identified by digital ordnance survey mapping. (6)

The substantial remains of an early Tudor friary church of Franciscan "grey friars". (7)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Gloucester, 15-DEC-1998 844-1

(2) by David Verey 1976 Gloucestershire : the Vale and the Forest of Dean

The buildings of England Page(s)227-8

(3) English Heritage List of Scheduled Monuments, South West Region: Gloucestershire, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire

(4) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)225

(5) by A R Martin 1937 Franciscan architecture in England

Page(s)82-89

(6) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

1:2500, 2008

(7) English Heritage Members' and Visitors' handbook 2008/9

Page(s)101

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