NHER 1025 (Monument record) - Site of Augustinian Friary

Site of Augustinian Friary between Chapel Street and Austin Street.
This site was largely empty from the 16th to the 19th century.

1951. Remains of gateway at TF 6184 2038 Listed Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"North gateway into precinct of Austin friars. 15th century. Brick with ashlar dressings. Plain tiled roof. North aspect of a central four-centred stone arch with continuous wave mouldings now opening into a deep niche. Parts of stone jambs remain. Brick relieving arch rebuilt. Roof slopes up to crenellated parapet more visible from south side. South side has a blocked four-centred arch with fragmentary remains of the hollow-chamfered stonework."
Information from (S1).

1973-1974. Watching brief during demolition of house and piling for new office building.
In 1973 a Victorian house was demolished. The piling exposed patches of medieval and post medieval brick.
Notes in file indicate that no medieval finds or features were recorded. It is also noted that 'damage to the site was not excessive'.
See notes in file.
S. Dunmore (NAU), April 1974.

July 1977. Site visit.
A new office block covers a large area. The gateway is late Perpendicular or early Tudor, four centred stone arch, but most of the stone jambs have now gone, and been replaced by modern brick. The archway is about 1.2m (4ft) deep now and is blocked by 17th century brickwork. The wall in which it is set is not old, probably contemporary with the demolished 19th century house.
E. Rose (NAU), 6 July 1977.

See (S2) for description of the growth of the house, including a rebuilding in 1359.

See (S3), ('Destroyed Sites') for late post medieval history as gardens.
E. Rose (NLA) 10 March 1998.

(S3) describes the ornamental gardens on this site that are shown on maps dating from the early 18th century onwards. There were two gardens on the site, both in private ownership, with glasshouses and mixed planting.
See (S3) for more details.
S. Spooner (NLA) 9 August 2006

For details of 42 Chapel Street previously recorded under this number, see NHER 46945.
S. Spooner (NLA), 14 August 2006.

According to (S4) the Augustinian friars settled at Lynn early in the reign of Edward I, on the north side of town, and were well-established by 1295 when Margaret de Suthmere obtained a licence to alienate a messuage in Lynn to the Austin Friars containing 100 feet by 80 feet of land. In the 14th century there are several further benefactions of land reported in documentary sources, followed by considerable rebuilding and extensions to their house and church in the mid-14th century.
(S2) supposes that the Augustinian friary was a large house, since it was chosen to house both Henry VI and his retinue in 1446 and Henry VII in 1498.
According to (S4) the surrender of the house, dated 30 September, 1538, was signed by William Wilson, prior, and ten others.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 26 February 2020.