Monument record MDO18999 - Dorchester Greyfriars, Dorchester

The Franciscan friary stood on the banks of the river a little east of the castle. The date and circumstances of its foundation are unknown, but it existed in 1267. Suppressed in 1536, there are no extant remains. Burials found in Orchard Street are probably from the friary cemetery.

(SY 69319092) Priory or Friary (sited to an accuracy of 30.0m. The site shown in Authy 2 falls in the middle of an orchard). <1-2>

Suppressed in 1536. There are no remains of it. <3>

The Franciscan friary, or priory, as it is generally called, stood on the banks of the river a little east of the castle. The date and circumstances of its foundation are unknown, but it existed in 1267. <4>

Enquiries made in the areas 'A' and 'B' produced negative information. No trace of antiquity was found in the area. <6>

A Franciscan friary at Dorchester, founded before 1267 and dissolved in 1538; in custody of Bristol. There were 32 friars in 1296; there was some difficulty in obtaining the surrender, there then being seven friars besides the warden. <7>

SY 69439086. Fragments of human bone were retrieved during road works in Orchard Street. They presumably came from the cemetery of the Friary. <8>

<1> Anon, 1771, Plan of Dorchester c 1771 (Map). SDO19709.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Map 1:500, 1887 (Map). SWX1328.

'A' (SY 69379088) Site of Franciscan Priory (NR)

<3> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 364-6 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<4> Moule, H J, 1901, Dorchester Antiquities, 32 (Bibliographic reference). SDO9439.

<5> Page, W (ed), 1908, The Victoria History of the County of Dorset 2, 93-94 (Monograph). SWX1805.

<6> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 20-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<7> Knowles, D, and Neville Hadcock, R, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales, 191 (Monograph). SDO11249.

<8> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1980, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1977, 121 (Serial). SDO77.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453426 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:35PM