Dorchester Friary, also known as Dorchester Priory, was a

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

friary A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...

formerly located in

Dorchester, Dorset Dorchester ( ) is the county town of Dorset, England. It is situated between Poole and Bridport on the A35 trunk route. A historic market town, Dorchester is on the banks of the River Frome, Dorset, River Frome to the south of the Dorset Dow ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The friary stood on the north side of the town (), on the banks of the River Frome, a little east of the site of Dorchester Castle.Victoria County History, (1908), The Franciscan Friars of Dorchester
/ref> Possibly a royal foundation, it was in existence by 1267, and it was dissolved in 1538. In 1296, the establishment is recorded as being home to 32 friars. In the course of its existence it received legacies and gifts from such notable people as Thomas Bitton, Bishop of Exeter;

Elizabeth de Clare Elizabeth de Clare, 11th Lady of Clare (16 September 1295 – 4 November 1360) was a member of the Anglo-Norman family, de Clare, and heiress to the lordships of Clare, Suffolk, in England and Usk in Wales. She is sometimes referred to as E ...

; and

John de Waltham John Waltham (or John de Waltham) was a Priesthood (Catholic Church), priest and high-ranking government official in Kingdom of England, England in the 14th century. He held a number of ecclesiastical and civic positions during the reigns of Edw ...

, Bishop of Salisbury. The Hospital of St John the Baptist in Dorchester was placed in their care by King

Richard III of England Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Bosw ...

, even though his predecessor, Henry VI, had given it to

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

. The friars' other properties included profitable local watermills, barns and gardens. In 1485, in return for his generosity to the friary, Sir John Byconil was recognised as "chief founder" and it was agreed that henceforth boys newly admitted to the order would be known as "Byconil's Friars".

Richard Yngworth Richard Ingworth or Richard Yngworth, prior of Langley, was appointed Bishop of Dover under the provisions of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 in 1537, a post he held until his death eight years later. As Bishop of Dover, Yngworth acted as the ag ...

, the newly appointed Bishop of Dover, had the task of dissolving the friary and seizing its assets on behalf of King

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

, and the long-standing warden, Dr William Germen, eventually signed the deed of surrender at the end of September 1538. Edmund Peckham, a cofferer in the King's Household, purchased the buildings and land and sold them on to

Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton (21 December 1505 – 30 July 1550), was an English peer, secretary of state, Lord Chancellor and Lord High Admiral. A naturally skilled but unscrupulous and devious politician who changed with the ...

in 1547. The estate later passed into the hands of Denzil Holles, MP, who had married Dorothy Ashley, a Dorset heiress, whose father, Sir

Francis Ashley Sir Francis Ashley (24 November 1569 – 28 November 1635) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1625. Biography Ashley was born at Damerham, the son of Sir Anthony Ashley of Da ...

, had bought it from Southampton. Ashley had made many alterations to the house Holles' son,

Francis Holles, 2nd Baron Holles Francis Holles, 2nd Baron Holles (1627–1690) was an English noble, and only child of Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles (best known as one of the five members of parliament whom King Charles I of England attempted to arrest in 1642) and his firs ...

, was born there in 1627. When the Holles barony became extinct, the estate passed to

John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (9 January 1662 – 15 July 1711) was an English peer and politician. Early life Holles was born in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, the son of the 3rd Earl of Clare and his wife Grace Pierrepont. Grace was a ...

. The house was described by James Savage in his 1837 ''History of Dorchester'' as having been standing "a few years ago". Savage described it as "a long low and irregular building; the eastern part seemed to be the most ancient by three old windows. At the West end there was a long gallery perhaps once a dormitory."

References

External links

The Franciscan Friars of Dorchester
Victoria County History (1908)
Dorchester Greyfriars
Pastscape {{coord, 50.7173, N, 2.4355, W, display=title Monasteries in Dorset Buildings and structures in Dorchester, Dorset Franciscan monasteries in England 13th-century establishments in England Christian monasteries established in the 13th century 1538 disestablishments in England