Blackfriars, Leicester

Blackfriars Leicester is a former Dominican Friary in Leicester, England.

Blackfriars Leicester

Coat of Arms of the Dominican Order
Monastery information
Other names	The Dominican Friars of Leicester, Leicester Dominican Friary
Order	Dominican Order
Established	1284
Disestablished	1538
Dedicated to	St Clement
Diocese	Lincoln
Site
Coordinates	52.63695°N 1.144386°W
Visible remains	None

🌍

History

The friary was founded in 1284 by the Earl of Leicester,[1] and was constructed on an island formed by the River Soar.[2]

Queen Eleanor, wife of King Henry III, left £5 in her will to the friary. In 1301 the friary received another royal gifts: seven oak trees (presumably the wood from which) from Rockingham Forest. Further monetary gifts from the royal family reveal that in 1328/29 there were 30 friars, and in 1334/35 there were 32.[2]

Leicester held the provincial chapters for the Dominican Order in 1301, 1317 and 1334.[2]

In 1489 King Henry VII donated oaks to the friary for the reconstruction of the friar's dormitory.[2]

The friary was dissolved as part of King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries and was surrendered in November 1538.[1] At the time the friary was home to the prior and nine friars.[2] The former friary was granted to Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, in 1546.[3]

Nothing remains of the friary.[1]

Priors of Blackfriars, Leicester

List of known priors of Leicester Blackfriars:

• John Garland, occurs 1394.
• William Ceyton, occurs 1505.
• Ralph Burrell, occurs 1538.

References

1. Leicester Blackfriars, English Heritage: PastScape
2. Friaries: Friaries in Leicester, A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 2 (1954), pp. 33-35. Date accessed: 26 June 2013
3. The ancient borough: Black Friars, A History of the County of Leicester: volume 4: The City of Leicester (1958), pp. 343-344. Date accessed: 27 June 2013

External links

• Official Holy Cross Priory Leicester website