1228-30

Grey Friars founded

 
 

grey friars or white friars?

in search of stamford’s friaries

By Linda Ball

 

1268

White Friars founded

 
 

about the book

Linda Ball tells the story of the mendicant friars – the Grey Friars, White Friars, Black Friars and Austin Friars – who settled in this Lincolnshire town between the early 1200s and mid-1300s. Some uncertainty has surrounded the locations of the Grey Friars and the White Friars in Stamford since the 1970s when historians found evidence to suggest that the identities of these two friary sites had become confused one for the other at some point after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in October 1538. 

This thoroughly researched book tells the story of the friars from their arrival in Stamford to the surrender of their houses and sites to the Crown at the Dissolution.  Afterwards, we follow the fortunes of friary lands through generations of landowners to the present day. 

 
 

1337

Edward III held a Great Council and Parliament at the White Friars in Stamford to prepare for war with France

 
 

the conundrum

 

This noble 700-year-old gateway is one of Stamford’s oldest buildings and the sole surviving remnant of the era of the mendicant friars – the Grey Friars, Black Friars, White Friars and Austin Friars – who settled in this Lincolnshire town between 1200 and mid-1300s.

 
 
 
 
 

Was this the gate to the White Friars where Edward III held a Great Council to prepare for war with France in the spring of 1337?

 

Or the entrance to the Grey Friars where the first Princess of Wales, Joan ‘the Fair Maid of Kent’ mother of Richard II was buried in the friary church in 1386?

 

1386

‘Joan the Fair Maid of Kent’ wife of Edward the ‘Black Prince’ and mother of Richard II was buried in the Grey Friars church

 
 
 

take a look inside

  • 1386 ‘Joan the fair maid of Kent’ buried at the Grey Friars

  • 1700s pictorial representations of the friary sites

  • 1600s town plans and the friary sites

  • Remains and archaeology

 

1536-41

Dissolution of the Monasteries - Henry VIII closed all the abbeys, nunneries and friaries in England and Wales

 

About the author

Linda Ball FRSA was born and educated in Stamford. Since retiring from an academic career in teaching and research in creative art and design higher education in 2011 she has pursued a lifelong interest in history.  This study of the medieval friaries of Stamford is her most recent project.

1541

The Grey Friars was granted to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk

 
 

reviews

'A fascinating dive into the history of the friaries at the eastern end of the town of Stamford, highlighting a history long forgotten but right on our doorstep and entwined with the School, the town and its people.’

Will Phelan - Principal, Stamford Endowed Schools

 

1542

The White Friars was granted to Richard Cecil of Stamford

 
 
 

Over 300 pages

Fully referenced with bibliography & appendices.

 

Softback

With 130 full colour and b/w maps and illustrations.