More information : [TF 0251 0689] Austin Friary [G.T.] (Site of) [T.I.]. (1)
The Austin Friary was founded in 1343 in the west suburb of Stamford, outside St Peter's Gate, on land formerly occupied by the Friars of the Sack (2). Surrendered in 1538. The site is indicated by the broken ground in front of Rutland Terrace, fragments of the church being uncovered in the early 18th century (3).
Austin Friar's Priory, Stamford, is scheduled. (4)
The broken ground noted by authy. 3 forms no coherent pattern and is almost certainly fallen masonry grassed over, or the results of stone robbery. (5)
(TF 02510689) site of (NAT) Friary (NR) (Augustinian found 1343)
(NAT). (6)
Full description. (7-8)
The site of the Austin Friary was excavated in 1712. The buildings appear to have been arranged around a central courtyard, but no satisfactory reconstruction is possible (see illustration card). In 1977 the area was grassland, and the remaining earthworks were largely uninterpretable. The most prominent feature, a large rectangular depression up to 2m deep, appeared to be a pond of relatively late date. The only other existing features were low uneven mounds, probably spoil heaps from the excavation. (9)
TF 025026. Austin Friars Priory, scheduled. (10)
Earthworks representing the priory of the Austin Friars lie on sloping ground on the north scarp of the Welland Valley. The earthworks are evidently disturbed, as a result of the excavations of 1712, and by trenches dug during the Second World War (Authority 8),
but form a coherent and rectangular layout, generally representing a number of indistinct platforms arranged around a pronounced rectangular depression, interpreted by Authority 9 as a later pond, but probably representing an original feature deepened by later stone
extraction. The southern extent of the earthworks (running down the riverine scarp) also represent, at least in part, quarrying activity, although such later activity is hard to distinguish from the monastic earthworks.
In the field to the west, now much reduced by land improvements, are three terrace scarps defining platforms probably associated with the monastic earthworks to the east. Further west are slight traces of ridge and furrow, running north-west - south-east. (11)
A possible enclosure was visible as earthworks and has been mapped from poor quality air photographs. It is not clear whether these earthworks are any of those specifically refered to by the previous authorities although they are in the same general area. Features were only discernible in the area immediately around TF 0251 0688. A
large embanked enclosure measuring 40m by 30m was the only really clear feature. What appears to be possible terracing on the west and south side of the enclosure was visible only indistinctly. The authenticity and date of these terraces is not certain. The general area to the south of the main enclosure was much disturbed and no
coherent features were visible. (Morph No. LI.791.2.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (12) |