Place    From 1260  To /11/1538

Austin Friars

Categories: Property, Religion

Augustinian friary just north-east of Bank, probably founded 1260ish, covering about 5.5 acres, it included a church, various other buildings for the accommodation of the friars and visitors, vegetable gardens, etc. Erasmus stayed here in 1513.

Thomas Cromwell developed a very grand house within the friary precincts which, on his downfall in 1540, was acquired by the crown and, 3 years later, sold to the Drapers Company for their Hall.

The friary suffered dissolution in 1538, on Cromwell's orders. The monastic buildings were replaced with a town house which survived until 1844, when it was turned into warehouses. In 1550 the nave of the church began to be used by foreigners, specifically the Dutch, and became the first official nonconformist chapel in England. The rest of the church was used for storage. Much was demolished in 1600 and then in 1862 a fire destroyed the rest. Reconstructed, it was destroyed in WW2 and rebuilt in the 50s.

The order was named for Saint Augustine of Hippo and so not connected to Augustine of Canterbury. From Augustinians in Britain : The Augustinian friars in Britain ceased to exist at the Reformation in the 16th century. After several attempts to re-introduce the Order, a mission, St Monica's, was established in the East End of London, at Hoxton Square, in 1864. From there the Augustinians re-established their presence throughout Britain.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Austin Friars

Commemorated ati

Austin Friar statue

{On the statue base, at the right:} T. Metcalfe 1989

Read More

Austin Friars & the Queens

To commemorate the visit by Their Majesties Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Beat...

Read More

Drapers' Hall

Drapers' Hall On this site, once part of the Augustine Priory, Thomas Cromwel...

Read More

St Monica's church and priory

The board is not visually very interesting so we photo'd the church window in...

Read More

Other Subjects

A. E. Darby

A. E. Darby

Bethnal Green Borough Engineer/Architect in 1922, 1926, 1937.

Person, Architecture, Engineering, Property

4 memorials
Joseph Whitehead & Sons Ltd

Joseph Whitehead & Sons Ltd

Contractor in marble work, responsible for the design and execution of works such as the drinking fountains for the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. Based at Imperial W...

Group, Architecture, Commerce, Property, Sculpture

4 memorials
Kingston Lodge

Kingston Lodge

Home to George Meredith, 1864-7. In response to our search Google presented this image but does not provide full access to the apparent source, "Selected Letters of George Meredith", so we cannot ...

Building, Property

1 memorial
Littlehampton Welding Ltd.

Littlehampton Welding Ltd.

Specialists in architectural and structural metalwork.

Group, Engineering, Property

1 memorial
Whiteley Village

Whiteley Village

A retirement village created with a bequest from William Whiteley. A charitable trust provides almshouses for people of limited financial means. From the Arts and Crafts Movement in Surrey: "The s...

Place, Property, Social Welfare

4 memorials

Previously viewed

Bertie E. Nash

Bertie E. Nash

Resident of the West Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
193 Fleet Street - 5 - Michelangelo

193 Fleet Street - 5 - Michelangelo

EC4, Fleet Street, 193

Building erected in 1883 by George Attenborough for his jewellery and pawn-broking business, Attenborough and Sons. Architects: Archer an...

1 subject commemorated
Opening of the Audley Square Garage / car park

Opening of the Audley Square Garage / car park

This garage was erected by the Westminster City Council, architect Frank Risdon. In Summer 2009 an application for development was turned down.

Building, Transport

1 memorial
Poulters' Hall

Poulters' Hall

EC1, King Edward Street

The church tower is now part of a luxury home, with a lift.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
John Harvard

John Harvard

SE1, Borough High Street, 211, John Harvard Library

The Harvard plaque does not explain why it is here, on this particular spot. Possibly his father's butcher's shop was here. The Anti-fas...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator