Monument record 11079 - Friars of the Sack

A community of Friars of Penitence of Jesus Christ, known as Friars of the Sack, was established in Chester before 1274, when the Council of Lyons forbade the lesser orders to admit new members, so they gradually became extinct. Chester community is the most obscure of the 16 foundations of the order in England. In 1277, Edward I sent the community 5s for food and at that date it was probably larger than the Carmelites. When the next royal donations were made in 1284, the Friars of the Sack received four payments totaling 1.l3s.4d, much less than the other three communities of friars. Only one other benefaction is known - Joan, the widow of Geoffrey de Dutton, bequeathed 4s. Nothing further is known about the friary and it probably died out before 1300 (1).

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, /178 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /206 (Book). SCH2177.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW63 1975 (Index). SCH2487.