| Summary : Franciscan Friary extant by 1260, dissolved in 1538. The church appears to have been rebuilt circa 1352. The site covered some 2.5 acres at the Dissolution, and consisted of the church, cloister and gatehouse. The western portion of the church was converted to a Corn Market, and the eastern portion to an Assize Court. These were demolished in the 19th century and a new Assize Court and Public Rooms constructed. The gatehouse, with a gabled entrance and arched doorway became a jewellers shop and the frontage modernised. There are no remains of the Friary other than a pillar and capital from the church which have been re-erected in the parish churchyard and remains within No.4, Fore Street, which are entirely internal and consist of a stone stairway with pointed arched doorways, part of the gatehouse building. An excavation at Mount Folly Square in 1999 located several graves, one in a coffin, which suggests that the excavated area was within the conventual church. |
More information : [SX 0713 6694] Public Rooms [T.I.] on site of Friary [G.T.] (1)
Franciscan House of Friars Minor, founded before 1260 and dissolved 1538. (2)
The buildings of the Grey Friars were extensive and the church 150 ft. long. in 1546 the house was disposed of by the Crown and eventually purchased by the Corporation. The western portion of the church was converted to a Corn Market, and the eastern portion to an Assize Court. These were demolished in the 19th century and a new Assize Court and Public Rooms constructed. The gatehouse, with a gabled entrance and arched doorway has become a jewellers shop and the frontage modernised. (3)
There are no remains of the Friary other than a pillar and capital from the church which have been re-erected at SX 0727 6703 in the parish churchyard and remains within No.4, Fore street at SX 0714 6797, which are entirely internal and consist of a stone stairway with pointed arched doorways, part
of the gatehouse building. (4)
Ashlar column from the Friary church in St. Petroc`s
Churchyard, Grade 2. (5)
Observation of internal alterations and the construction of an extension to the gatehouse (modern jewellers shop) did not reveal any contemporary features. The recording of the arch made clear it is only a small surviving fragment of the original structure. A number of associated features recorded by earlier writers have not survived to the present day due to destruction by modern activities. (6) |