Monument record 1160/8 - Austin Friars

Site of an Augustinian Friary founded in the 13th or 14th century. This Friary probably lay in the area of Commercial Street. Cox says that it was founded in 1275-90, but Knowles and Hadcock say that there is no evidence for its existence before 1323. It was one of the houses of vacation for foreign students of the order. It was dissolved in 1538.

{1} Early references to Austins in deeds of 1275 & 1290; Sir John Longvillle of Wolverton only augmented House in 1323; Austin friary was small property; dissolved on 28th October 1538;

{2} Last of 4 orders of Friars to be established in Northampton; house founded by Sir John de Longeville in 1323; Longvilles owned manor at Little Billing; other details of family given; situated in Bridge Street almost opposite St John's Hospital; founded on landed property & special dispensation needed; building was soon completed & 1328-9 monastery had 21 friars; details of extensions of premises between 1330-1380 given; account of life of Geoffrey Grandfelt also given; in 1347 friar was involved in murder at Dallington & had to flee; very little of friars recorded in C15th; legacies to friary frequently found in wills of Northamptonshire folk in C14-16th & some details given in text; friary surrendered 28th October 1538; did not go smoothly & prior accused of removing £100 plate & put in prison; account given;

Decorated tiles have been found on the site;

{3} St Augustin Street so named after Friary who had house there; present street runs across foundations; founded in 1322 by Sir John Longevile of Wolverton Buckinghamshire; In 1330 Austins obtained licence to enlarge their close by taking in adjoining premises; a further grant for extension was made in 1337; dissolved in 1538; Church of Austin Friars had image of Our Lady Grace of some repute & to which several bequethals were made; following Dissolution 1539 memorandum by Dr London mentions that church was covered with lead & its roof was fit for King's palace or royal lodge at Grafton Regis;

{4} Assumed to have been founded by Sir John Longville in 1323; deeds of 1275 & 90 refer to Friary & its founder; dissolved in 1538; King granted special dispensation to John de Longville to give land to Austin Friars & permission to build an oratory & houses for their habitation. Richard Longville in will of 1458 left his body to be buried in friary church before high altar & next to his grandfather; most of Longvilles probably buried there; other burial requests included in 1528 William Whitfield to be buried in Our Ladies Chapel in friary & his wife same; following Dissolution lead from church roof was considered good enough for Grafton & was melted down; friary bell was sold to London grocer. Redistribution of land of friary following Dissolution included accounts of orchards; not sure whether these were on the site of the friary on on land holdings elsewhere.

{5} Suggestion that references occur to friary in deeds of 1275-90;

{6} Opposite to St John's Hospital stood House of Friars Augustine; founded in 1322 by Sir John Longueville of Wolverton; it was surrendered to crown in the 30th year of Henry VIII; no record exists of its demolition;

{7} Austin Friars founded by Sir John Longevile in 1322; situated on west side of Bridge Street opposite St John's Hospital; site occupied by Augustine Street; no traces remain of monastery;

{8} Claim of Longvilles as founders still stands as existence of friary between 1275-90 not proven; in 1323 John Longeville of Wolverton granted land in Bryggestreet to Austins to build their house; retained adjacent piece of land which passed to friary in 1353 to enlarge premises; several other pieces of land also added between 1330-1362 including vacant lot of St James' Abbey; 21 brethren in 1329; in 1362 prior general declared Northampton friary as vacational one for foreign students of order whilst in England; by 1426 house so short of brethren that order in danger of losing it; several measures taken to procure vocations & benefaction; C16th saw new lease of life given through devotion to Our Lady of Grace; fathers became known as 'Friars of Our Lady of Grace'; bequethals between 1504-39 listed; connected with this altar was Scala Coeli; Dissolution promoted much ill will & confusion as to what had happened to some of valuables of friary; after dissolution site was leased for 62s 8d; buildings were left unroofed & destruction set in. Lead on church & other buildings of Friary was thought fit for re-use at new Royal Palace at Grafton Regis.

{9} House of Austin Friars at Northampton was founded before 1275 & surrendered in 1538 by prior & eight other friars;

{10} Augustinian Friars in Bridge Street near south gate; founded in 1322 by John Longville of Wolverton; revenues unknown;

{12} Speed's map shows Austin Friary to west of south gate & immediately to north of town defences. It shows a building possibly the church/house of the Austin Friars in the south-west corner of the precinct near to the south gate at the bottom of Bridge Street.

{13} Geoffrey Grandfelt died & was buried in his monastery at Northampton circa 1340.

{14} House of Austin Friars stood on west side of Kingswell Street by south gate & hard against St John's Hospital; Langfelds of Buckinghamshire are taken as original founders. Langfelds were buried in church; Several of the Longville family were buried in the Friary church.

{17} In 1538 Prior was John Goodwyn; receipt from this period shows house receiving pledges but due to monetary problems house & its lands were surrendered to king in this year;

{18} Summary of documentary and secondary evidence relating to the site of the Austin Friary.

{19} The Augustinian Friary was revealed during excavations in the mid 19th century. Documents reveal three acres adjacent to Woolmonger Street belonging to the friary.

{20} Dedication of monument in church to Richard Crispe in 1510; altar of Scala Celi mentioned in 1519; Christopher Pyard buried before dore of Our Blessed Lady of Grace in 1521; William Whitfield buried in Our Ladies Chapel in 1528; other dedications listed.

{?} Augustinian Friary probably lies to the west of Bridge Street in the area of Commercial Street, generally regarded as having been founded by Sir John Longville in 1323. Cox (1898) suggests that it is referred to in deeds of 1275-90 but this is not accepted by Knowles and Hadcock (1971). There were several episodes of enlargment in the 14th century. Twenty one brethren are recorded in 1329. By 1427 there were so few brethren that the order was in danger of losing the house and permission was granted for twenty two men to be accepted from elsewhere. The house was surrendered in 1538.

<1> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.81 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.339 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.147 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<4> Serjeantson R.M., 1911, The Austin Friars of Northampton, p.71-87 (checked) (Article). SNN516.

<5> Cox Rev.J.C., 1898, Records of The Borough of Northampton, p.522 (unchecked) (Book). SNN3420.

<6> De Wilde G.J., 1872, Rambles Roundabout and Poems, p.213 (checked) (Book). SNN1106.

<7> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.59 (checked) (Series). SNN100370.

<8> Roth, English Austin Friars, p.311 (checked) (Extract). SNN888.

<9> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.240+242 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<10> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.118; Handwritten notes in NDC SMR File M22;; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<11> Welsh T.C., 1999, Document Search: "Lady Grace", The Church of The Austin Friary, (unchecked) (Document). SNN59785.

<12> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN559.

<13> Stevens, 1723, Abbeys & Monasteries, p.217 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN3278.

<14> Hearne T., 1710, Collectanea (Leland J.), p.10 (unchecked) (Series). SNN974.

<15> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP76SE61 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<16> Shaw M., 1997, Burgess Site, St Peter's Way, Northampton: Archaeological Desk-top Study, May 1997, (unchecked) (Report). SNN54693.

<17> 1538, Letters & Papers of Henry VIII (LPFD 1-30, Vol.13), (unchecked) (Document). SNN1090.

<18> Welsh T.C., 1998, The Site of The Austin Friary, Northampton, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN46952.

<19> Welsh T.C., 1998, Note, (part checked) (Note). SNN46993.

<20> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.46+230 (unchecked); Copy in NDC SMR File M22; (Extract). SNN1080.

Record last edited

Nov 2 2023 11:31AM