Monument record 10334 - Carmelite Friars (White Friars)

The Carmelites, also called the Friars of Mount Carmel or the White friars, were established in Chester by at least 1277 when they were given alms for food by Edward I, but it was not until 1290 that they acquired a permanent site, when they were granted seven houses by Hugh Payn (1). The site was bounded by Commonhall St., Weaver St., Whitefriars and Bridge St., and they were instructed to build themselves a church (1). Although there is little archaeological evidence for the friary complex, some documentary evidence is available: the house appears to have been established and popular by the mid-fourteenth century when the buildings were extended (1, 2).

In 1350, the friars acquired part of two lanes to the north and west of the priory and in 1354, the Black Prince permitted them to acquire land 200ft by 160ft to enlarge their house, and like the other friaries, received gifts of money from the Black Prince in 1353 and 1358 (1, 7). In 1367, Thomas de Stanthom and his wife Isabel gave gifts for the maintenance of the friars, and in return they were henceforth regarded by the friars, as their founders, since the house 'had hitherto no founder' (1). In the mid-fourteenth century, the White friars are mentioned in 35 out of 53 surviving local wills (between 1400 - 1540). In 1400, Henry, Prince of Wales, allowed them to grind their corn free at the royal mills of the Dee. In the early sixteenth century, they appear to have been the most popular of the three mendicant orders at Chester and the value of bequests made to them almost equalled the totals to both the Black and Grey friars (1).

From the mid-fourteenth century, there were more Carmelites than Franciscans or Dominicans at Chester, but they too experienced a decline in numbers in the early fifteenth century. Also in fifteenth and early sixteenth century, the White friars were involved in disorder in Chester that included the Carmelites (1). At the Dissolution in 1538, it was the largest friary in the city, with 10 members remaining (1, 7). In 1544, the king granted to John Cokkes 'all the house and site of the priory of the Carmelite Friars within the City of Chester, lately dissolved, together with all messuages, houses, cottages, chambers, buildings, tofts, gardens, orchards, lands and tenements, situated in the parishes of St Bridget and St Martin' (1). Following this, the site was resold to Fulk Dutton and the buildings were occupied as a private dwelling. In 1593, the site was purchased by Thomas Egerton, Chamberlain of Chester and England and shortly thereafter the spire and parts of the church, and probably most of the other structures on the site, were torn down by him in order to erect a mansion (CHER 10393) (1, 2). Maps by Mollar and Speed show a plain lofty building fronting White friars with high walls and an enclosure in the rear (1).

Pennant noted that the mansion originally surrounded a square (possibly the old cloister garth), and part of the first floor of the mansion was let to a puppet-showman. In 1772, gunpowder stored in a warehouse beneath the mansion, exploded during a show, killing 26 people and wounding 83 others (3). However, other contemporary sources, supported by place name evidence for Puppet Show Entry suggest this event occurred further north to the rear of Watergate Street Row (CHER 11330).

Although there is very little archaeological data relating to the friary, antiquarian investigations revealed in situ tiled flooring that is thought to relate to the gatehouse (CHER 10334/4), or possibly the church (CHER 10334/2). There is additional information found in these and other records, for the precinct (CHER 10334/1), the cloisters (CHER 10334/3), the cemetery (CHER 10334/5) and the outer court (CHER 10334/6).

<1> n/a, 1935, The White Friars of Chester, Bennett J H E, 1935, JCAS, Vol 31, p.5-54 (Article in Journal). SCH5678.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, Vol 3, p.176-178, Harris B, 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<3> Pennant, 1883, Tours in Wales, 1/217 (Oral Communication). SCH3282.

<4> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, p.146-148 (Book). SCH946.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW42, 1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, Vol 3, p.124-187 Kettle A J 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<7> Ward, S. W., 1990, Excavations at Chester: The Lesser Medieval Religious Houses - Sites Investigated, 1964-83 (Grosvenor Museum Archaeological Excavation & Survey Reports), p.207-209 (Monograph). SCH1193.

<8> Gifford and Partners, 2003, Bolland's Court, Chester. Report on an Archaeological Evaluation (Client Report). SCH7650.

<9> Gifford and Partners, 2008, Bollands Court, Chester. Archaeological Investigation Against A Sandstone Wall (Client Report). SCH7649.

<10> Dee Archaeological Services Ltd, 2024, Archaeological Evaluation Report: The Friars, Chester, R4812 (Client Report). SCH9695.

Two archaeological trial pits were excavated at The Friars in 2024 which lies in the footprint of the friary precinct. Both trial pits located sandstone foundations of a late Medieval building likely one of the buildings on the northern range of the Friary complex (perhaps the kitchen or convent hall). Also, a layer rich in fragments of decorated Medieval floor tile was recorded; this deposit is thought to represent destruction of the friary buildings after the Dissolution. The only previously recorded floor tiles from the friary are from a tile floor uncovered in 1884 on Bollands Court, so the find of these tile fragments is significant.