We have 11 Images Above Photograph(s)
Copyright of John Williams

Blackfriars Friary (Restoration),
Blackfriars, off Southgate,
Gloucester, Gloucestershire.

Cemeteries

We don't know whether this Church had a graveyard.

Note: any church within an urban environment may have had its graveyard closed after the Burial Act of 1853. Any new church built after that is unlikely to have had a graveyard at all.

Church History

This Place of Worship was founded in 1239, but we understand it was closed in 1538.

Blackfriars Friary is said to be "the most perfectly preserved example of a Dominican Friary in Britain", and it's easy to see why, from these photographs. It was founded by Sir Stephen de Hermshall (Harnhill) in the late 13th century, with funds and materials donated by King Henry III, and consecrated in 1284. It is on the opposite side of Southgate to Greyfriars Priory (q.v).

Originally it was a cruciform church, with a long chancel, a crossing with north and south transepts, and an aisled nave. After the Dissolution it was reduced in size, and converted into a house for Sir Thomas Bell, a merchant cloth maker and draper, whilst its cloisters became his cloth manufactory. Following it being put to various domestic and commercial uses during the 18th and 19th centuries, it was adopted by the Ministry of Works in about 1960, as a Ancient Monument, and it is now in the care of English Heritage.

The third photograph in this set, taken from Ladybellegate Street, shows the start, to the right, of a range of buildings associated with Blackfriars. [Sources: the British Listed Buildings website, Religious Heritage (in 2010) on Gloucester City Council website, and John Williams]

Other photographs show inside the buildings, whilst the final photograph shows English Heritage's reconstruction of the Blackfriars as it may have appeared in 1539.

1. The North Range, The Priory Church
   The 13th century church was originally much longer but was reduced in size when Thomas Bell turned it into his mansion after the Dissolution in 1539.
2. South Range
   Ground Floor: school rooms plus the passage and buttery for the refectory.
   First Floor: the library with carrels built into the thickness of the walls for the individual desks of the Friars.
3. West Range
   This range was built as the Refectory with a lodging at its north end, behind you and to your left.
   Three terraced houses were built into it in the early 19th century.
4. East Range
   Ground Floor: rooms converted by Thomas Bell into his kitchen.
   First Floor: part of the friars' Dormitory.
5. The Cloister
   Lean-to alleys (the cloister walks) constructed of timber linking the four principal ranges. After the Dissolution the cloister was converted to two storeys to allow communication at both ground and first floors.

Denomination

Now or formerly Dominican.

If more than one congregation has worshipped here, or its congregation has united with others, in most cases this will record its original dedication.

Maps

This Church was located at OS grid reference SO8297118428. You can see this on various mapping systems. Note all links open in a new window:

• Blackfriars Friary (Restoration), Gloucester shown on a Google Map.
• Places of Worship in Gloucester shown on a Google Map.
• Streetmap.co.uk (arrow on map shows the Place of Worship's location) (verified 2018-10-15)
• Bing (Ordnance Survey option) (verified 2018-10-13)
• Bing Maps ('Bird's Eye' View) (verified 2018-10-15)
• Ordnance Survey "getamap" (NB some of the 'Change Map' options may require a subscription) (verified 2018-10-15)
• OpenStreetMap (Maps © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA) (verified 2018-10-15)
• A Vision of Britain Through Time - useful for Boundary Changes (verified 2018-10-15)
• www.magic.gov.uk (Modern Maps with various overlays) (verified 2018-10-15)

Resources

I have found many websites of use whilst compiling the information for this database. Here are some which deserve mention as being of special interest for Gloucester, and perhaps to Local History and Places of Worship as a whole.

• Learn more about Buildings of special or historical interest on the British Listed Buildings (null) (verified 2018-09-19)
• The Local Government website of Gloucester City Council (null) (verified 2018-11-09)

The above links were selected and reviewed at the time I prepared the information, but please be aware their content may vary, or disappear entirely. These factors are outside my control.