Monument record 10317 - Dominican Friars (Black Friars)

The Dominican friars (or the Black Friars), were the first major monastic order to establish themselves at Chester, before the Franciscans, the Carmelites or St Mary’s Nunnery, founding their house c1237 – 1238 under the patronage of Alexander de Stavensby, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Other sources suggest there is evidence that Henry III founded the friary and that it was under royal patronage. They were granted a large block of land bound by Watergate St. to the north, Nicholas St. to the east, Blackfriars to the south and the route of the city walls to the west, land that was partly in the parish of St Martin and partly in Holy Trinity.

Before the arrival of the friars, there was a chapel dedicated to St Nicholas on the site; there are known references to a chaplain of St Nicholas, who witnessed several documents during the 1220s, and it is reasonable to assume that the friars used the chapel before their church was constructed, and then adopted the dedication for their house. Some time after its founding, St Werburgh’s and St John’s (who between them controlled all burial rights in the city), agreed to take two-thirds of the revenue of people wishing to be buried in the Black friars precinct.

They secured their own water supply in 1276, after receiving permission to build a pipeline from the spring at Boughton. Naturally, there is extensive documentary evidence that provides an impression of the success and growth of the friary: in 1274, Edward I ordered the Justice of Chester to continue a payment of 40d a week to the Black friars and these 'ancient alms' of 8 13s 4d continued into the reign of Henry VII. Palmer suggests that payment began by Henry III from foundation of Friary (above). In 1291, they received 100s from Queen Eleanor's executors, and the Black Prince made grants of alms in 1353 and in 1358 to all three friaries in Chester.

In 1361, the precinct appears to have expanded, as they were licensed to acquire the plot of land next to their garden, perhaps for extension of certain precinct buildings. Certain buildings were still lacking in 1467 when ten new plots were bequeathed towards their cost and some rebuilding was undertaken during the last years of the community. In 1384, the friars were granted the privilege of grinding corn and malt free of toll at the king's mills for ten years and in 1395 this privilege was granted in perpetuity. The Dominicans do not appear to have been as locally popular as the other two mendicant orders; for example, between 1400 and 1540 they are mentioned only in 25 out of 53 local wills. The house generally well ordered, but in the mid-fifteenth century the Dominicans were involved with Carmelites in riots and in 1454 accused of attacking servant of Abbot of Chester. At the time of the Dissolution, it does not appear to have been large house was the smallest of those at Chester in 1538, with only five members. Previously, in the fourteenth century, it was said that there were 38 friars but this is thought to have been an exaggeration.

In the years before the Dissolution, the friars made long leases of gardens, orchards and tenements surrounding the house. The Dissolution inventory lists their possessions, and mentions site of church, with alley, site of old hall, dormitory, two cloisters, chapter house and frater, and mentions many houses, cottages, gardens and orchards. In 1543 the conventual buildings were leased to Thomas Smith of Chester for a period of 21 years, and in 1561, site came into possession of Dutton family.

In addition to the extensive documentary evidence, there is a significant amount of archaeological information available, including well-gathered data on the extent, positioning, layout and phasing of some of the key precinct buildings. In addition to the church, alley, old hall and cloisters mentioned above, there is information on the precinct or boundary wall, and early building in the north courtyard, the eastern and western gates to the precinct, the cemetery, and evidence of various buildings and structures in the western part of the precinct.

<1> Bennett. J.H.E., 1952, The Black Friars of Chester, Bennett J H E 1952 39/29-58 (Article in Journal). SCH5719.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/174-176 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<3> Palmer C F R, The Reliquary, 23/97-103 (Book). SCH3233.

<4> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /145-146 (Book). SCH946.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW41/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /184 (Book). SCH2177.

<7> Ward, S. W., 2012, Greyfriars' Court 1976-8 and 1981 (Article in Monograph). SCH6581.

<8> Webster L & Cherry J, 1978, Medieval Britain in 1977 (Article in Journal). SCH5618.