| Summary : Former Dominican friary, now partly amenities and partly art school. The friary moved here from Magdalene Street in 1307 (see TG20NW113) when the friars outgrew the former site. The friary was badly damaged by fire in 1413, and the friars were forced to retire to their former site until 1449, until the friary was rebuilt. They returned in 1449, having taken advantage of the interregnum to modify the plan of the damaged friary. 14th and 15th century with 19th and 20th century alterations and additions. Flint and stone with brick dressings. Lead, slate and pantile roofs. Remains of monastic offices and cloister to north. Listed and partly descheduled. |
More information : (TG 23130884) King Edward VI Middle School on Remains of Black Friars' Monastery (NR)
(TG 23130882) Cloister (NR) (TG 23130880) St Andrew's Hall Formerly Black Friars' Church (NR)
(TG 23180879) Priory of the Friars de Sacco (NR) (Site of)
(TG 23130880) St Andrew's Hall and remains of Friary(NR)
(Dominican, founded 1226)
(TG 23170881) Blackfriars Hall
(TG 23180883) St Thomas a Beckets' Chapel (NR) (remains of). (1)
The first Dominican house in Norwich was founded in 1226 on the north side of the river Wensum (TG 20 NW 113).
About 1307 they moved to the south of the river to a site
previously occupied by the Friars of the Sack, who held it from 1258 until they were suppressed in 1307.
Building of the church began circa 1327 and was completed in 1345. The church and conventual buildings were severely damaged by fire in 1413, and the community returned to their original site north of the river, where they remained until
1449. Opportunity was taken during the rebuild to make
considerable modifications to the layout. The house was suppressed in November 1538 they were acquired by the Norwich corporation.
The remaining buildings represent the only substantial survival of the four main friaries of medieval Norwich, largely as a consequence of their continuous municipal use since 1540. St. Andrew's Hall was the original nave of the church, and Blackfriars Hall the choir.
The 15th century and earlier St Thomas a'Becket's Chapel was destroyed in 1876; it was excavated and laid out in 1958.
The 14th century cloister remains remarkably complete except for the north range.
The conventual buildings have largely disappeared, but have been located from time to time during excavations prior to building work.
St Andrew's Hall (see GP) and Blackfriars Hall are used for public events. See GP's of south and west ranges of the cloisters.
The site of the conventual buildings are now occupied by the Norwich School of Art and the only portions visible are above the west wall of the cloisters and above the east wall, where a single lighted quatrefoil window remains.
Former friary, now partly amenities centre and partly art school. C14 and C15 with C19 and C20 alterations and additions. Flint with stone and brick dressings. Ashlar facing. Brick. Lead, slate and pantile roofs. Nave with north and south aisles, walkway and chancel. Remains of monastic offices and cloister to the north. Former church:- 7 bay nave with five 3-light decorated windows to south aisle. 2 storey C19 perpendicular porch in second bay from west. C19 doorway in fifth bay. 4-light perpendicular window with staggered transoms in easternmost bay. Tall 3-light perpendicular window in walkway bay with staggered and brattished transoms. Fourteen 3-light perpendicular clerestory windows. The west end of the nave was re-faced and re-windowed in the C19. Five bay chancel with 5-light perpendicular windows having staggered brattished transoms and 2-centre brick arches. Large 7-light east window with decorated tracery. Nave interior: 4-shaft columns, smaller on north/south with wide hollow chamfer between. The inside shaft extends upwards to form corbel at clerestory level. Smaller shafts above the 2-centre aisle arches. Hammer-beam roof with double butt-purlins and ridge-piece. Carved spandrels in aisles with shields in north and wheels in south. C19 chancel arch. Chancel: doorway in north wall second bay from the east with double-order flat chamfer surround. Single butt-purlin roof with ridge piece and curved braces from wall-posts to apex. Cloister to the north:- complete south range of 9 vaulted bays misaligned against nave. 2 storeys with additional C19 storey at west end. 4 large openings with 2-centre arches at ground floor having C20 glazing. Nine first-floor windows with pointed arches, some with glazing bars. Traces of six mediaeval blocked windows. East range:- 6 large openings with 2-centre arches having C20 glazing. Door at extreme left. 2 storeys over 4 north arches. Five casement windows with glazing bars and one C15 single-light window with cusped arch at 1st floor. C19 north wall. Hipped roof with 4 sloping roof dormers. West range:- 2 storeys. The east wall has 4 blocked ground floor openings with 2-centre arches. C19 carriage entry at north end with C19 entry porch and semi-circular brick stair-turret to the left. 4 first floor casement windows. The west side range, including the twin-aisled extension of the south cloister range was completely refaced in Early English style in 1861 by S. Benest. Excavated remains of the north cloister range. The quadrangle is closed on the north side by the Art School building of 1899. Chapter House:- excavated remains of 3-bay twin-aisled range east of east cloister range. One respond and blocked doorway in west wall. The Crypt:- 4 bays of brick vaulting with central remade stone pier. Doors and blocked openings on wall 4 walls. Becket's Chapel:- to the east of the crypt. Remains of a 6-bay chapel with brick responds for vaulting. Piscina in south wall, east end. Fine C20 glass roof. The complex ranks highly as one of the most complete Dominican Friaries in England. Scheduled as Ancient Monument. H. Sutermeister - The Norwich Blackfriars: A History and Guide to St. Andrew's and Blackfriars' Halls (with Bibliography) Norwich City Council, 1978. (2-12)
After the 1413 fire the chancel of Blackfriars Hall became civic property, and the authorities allowed its use by foreigners. By te end of the 16th cenury it ws used by a Dutch congregation, and continued to be used by them into the 20th century. (13) |