| Summary : Stamford Whitefriars, a Carmelite friary, was founded in 1268 when Henry III gave six oak trees to the friars for the construction of their church. The site of the friary is located immediately east of the town walls on land sloping to the River Welland. It was dissolved in 1538 by Henry VIII. Today, the friary exists as earthwork remains. Until the publication, in 1974, of a survey of the religious buildings of Stamford by JS Hartley and A Rogers, the location of Whitefriars had frequently been confused with that of the Greyfriars. The survey outlined how documentary sources associated with the acquisition of plots obtained for the friary prove that it is not located at the eastern end of St Paul's Street as traditionally assumed, but in fact occupied the area immediately outside St George's Gate and north of St Leonard's Street. |
More information : Sources 1-6 confuse the site of the Whitefriars with that of the Greyfriars. Traditionally they have been exchanged with each other. To avoid confusion, the text of these sources has been ommitted. (1-6)
The RCHME survey of the buildings of Stamford, following on from the Stamford Group Survey outlines how, in the past, the Carmelite Friary has often been confused with the Grey Friars. (7)
The Carmelite Priory, or Whitefriars, at Stamford was founded in 1268 when Henry III gave six oak trees to the friars for the construction of their church. The remains of the Carmelite Friary, often confused with that of the Grey Friars (see TF 00 NW/25), are situated immediately east of the town walls and on land which slopes to the River Welland. Documentary sources associated with the acquisition of plots by the friary prove that it is not located at the eastern end of St Paul's Street in the fork between the roads leading to Ryhall and Uffington as traditionally assumed, but in fact it occupied the area immediately outside St George's Gate and north of St Leonard's Street.
This source pre-dates the RCHME survey of Stamford and was the first to note previous confusions between the White- and Grey- friary sites. (8)
The Carmelite Friary at Stamford was established shortly before 1268, and surrendered in October 1538. (9)
Earthworks of the friary lie between St Paul's Street and Priory Road, and within the gardens of "Holywell", "Friary House", and "The Pantiles". (Permission to investigate the earthworks in "The Pantiles" garden was refused. They have previously been recorded by authority 7). These three gardens have been foreshortened, and the south part of the site has been built over. The gate jamb referred to by authority 3 is still in place and is as described. The earthworks are unintelligible, but cannot be associated with the modern houses and their gardens and quite clearly pre-date them. (10)
Wall of former Grey Friary (sic) fronting Priory Road and Brazenose Lane. Grade 2. (11)
An examination of all the available air photographs revealed no evidence of the friary refered to by the previous authorities. (12)
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