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EXETER GREYFRIARS

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Franciscan Friary moved to this site to the South of the town walls by Bishop Bytten between 1292-1307 from a site in Bartholomew street (see SX99SW275). Dissolved in 1538. Excavations at the junction of Holloway Street and Friars Gate in 1973, and a sewer trench dug along Friars Gate in 1980, revealed the east end of a chapel containing six burials and the robbed remains of the probable north wall of the church, just north of which was a stone-lined latrine or garderobe pit. To the south, presumably within the church, were a number of burials.

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[SX 9159 9242] Franciscan Priory (NR) (site of) (NAT) (1)

A convent of Franciscans or Grey Friars was established in Exeter before the middle of the 13th century for a deed of 1240 mentions the "Domics Fratram Minorum". From several documents it is certain that the convent was originally situated in an area behind St. Nicholas's Priory and behind the North and West Gates, viz: between Snayle Tower and the Kings Highway in Bretayne now called Bartholomew Street. (2)

In the 1290's the Friary was moved to a new site outside the South Gate between Holloway Street and the River Exe where work on the new church dedicated to John the Baptist was in progress in 1303. At the Dissolution in 1538 there were ten brethren in residence.
Excavations at the junction of Holloway Street and Friars Gate (SX 922 922) in 1973, and a sewer trench dug along Friars Gate in 1980, revealed the east end of a chapel containing six burials and the robbed remains of the probable north wall of the church, just north of which was a stone-lined latrine or garderobe pit. To the south, presumably within the church, were a number of burials. (3-5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1969

( 2a) Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book reference

ONB Devon 80 NW

( 2) General reference

Dr Oliver's Monastican 330-1

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

Page(s)225

( 4) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

L E Webster and J Cherry 18, 1974 Page(s)188

(5) Devon Archaeological Society newsletter

15, FEB-1980 Page(s)3

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EXETER GREYFRIARS
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The Franciscan Friary was extant in 1240. From several documents it is certain that the convent was originally situated in an area behind St. Nicholas...

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