Monument record 10318 - Franciscan Friary (Grey Friars)

The Franciscan friars (or the Grey friars) were established at Chester by friar Albert of Pisa, the order’s Minister of the English province between 1237 and 1240, with approval for the construction of a permanent house for them in the city given by Henry III in 1240. The friary occupied a roughly rectangular site of c 7 acres north of Watergate St., to the north of the Dominican precinct that had been established a short time previously.

There is extensive documentary evidence illustrating the development and success of the friary: for example, the King made contributions towards the cost of constructing buildings in 1241, 1245 and in 1247. In 1245, they were permitted to take as much stone as required from the castle ditch and in 1246 they were allowed to create a temporary breach the city wall in order to bring in stone and timber from the river for their building operations. In 1331, the friars granted licence to construct two hand-mills in their house and freely to grind corn and malt there and at other mills in the city.

About 1346, there is evidence that the precinct expanded, as the friars acquired a plot of land 103ft by 32ft from St Mary's nunnery for the enlargement of their house and precinct, and there was a further extension in 1360. The Black Prince made grants to Grey friars and the two other friaries in Chester in 1353 and 1358. Between 1400 and 1540 the Grey friars were the beneficiaries listed in 30 out of 53 local wills, illustrating their popularity with the local community, as this is a greater number of references that those for the Dominican friary. By the sixteenth century, however, Grey friars received fewer legacies, and this led to decline in their prosperity and therefore their influence.

By 1528, they were compelled to grant to merchants and sailors the nave and three aisles of their church for the storage of sails and equipment, in return for their funding of repairs to the church. Although little is known of size of house and the extent of its personnel throughout its history, it is known to have had only seven friars at the time of Dissolution. Similar to the situation at the other friaries, long leases of parts of precinct were made before this, demonstrating the splitting of their assets in order to survive and maintain funding, and what remained of the main buildings and gardens were leased to Richard Hough for a period of 21 years.

In 1544, they were sold again, with the sites of the two other friaries, to John Cokkes, a London salter. The property was sold again several times, and eventually passed to Warburton's of Arley. Randle Holme's seventeenth century plan (Harl Mss 2073) shows the friary as residence of Sir William Brereton, and later, the site then passed to influential Stanley family. In 1778, the Linen Hall was built on east part of site.

Specific detail on the individual components of the friary complex can be found in individual records, as there is additional documentary and in some cases archaeological evidence for the precinct, the church building the cloister, the gatehouse and alley leading from the city on the west, the outer court, the cemetery and the Infirmary. Please consult those individual records for additional information.

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/171-173 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> Bennett. J.H.E., 1921, The Grey Friars of Chester, Bennett J H E 1921 24/5-80 (Article in Journal). SCH5681.

<3> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /190 (Book). SCH2177.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW4/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/349 (Book). SCH1389.

<6> Gifford and Partners, 2002, Report on an Archaeological Evaluation at Linenhall Stables, Stanley Street, Chester., R2408 (Client Report). SCH4237.

<7> Ward, S. W., 1990, Excavations at Chester: The Lesser Medieval Religious Houses - Sites Investigated, 1964-83 (Grosvenor Museum Archaeological Excavation & Survey Reports) (Monograph). SCH1193.

<8> Harrison, L., 1994, Human bone recording from 86 Watergate Street, Chester (Unpublished Report). SCH6941.

<9> Gifford and Partners, 2009, Linenhall Stables Building Recording Chester, R3059 (Client Report). SCH5426.