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.

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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

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Austin Friars & the Queens

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

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Drapers' Hall

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

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St Monica's church and priory

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

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Other Subjects

Mark Gentry

Mark Gentry

Builders active in 1886.

Group, Property

1 memorial
1 Devonshire Terrace

1 Devonshire Terrace

Charles Dickens lived here with his family, 1839-51. They had moved here from 48 Doughty Street. The ninth child Dora, was born here and died here in 1851 aged just 8 months. Her mother Catherine w...

Building, Property

1 memorial
289 Cambridge Heath Road

289 Cambridge Heath Road

The house was probably built 1800 - 1850 and was occupied from at least 1866 until his death in 1882, by Dr Brotherton. He lived there and also ran his medical practice from that address. It was de...

Building, Medicine, Property

1 memorial
Appledown Properties Ltd.
1 memorial
Haddon Hall

Haddon Hall

Located at 42 Southend Road, Beckenham. David Bowie lived in flat 7 here from October 1969 to May 1972. The photograph shows him in the garden of the house. It was demolished in the early 1980s.

Building, Property

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Jayaben Desai

Jayaben Desai

Trade Unionist and teacher. Born as Jayaben Suryakant Patel in Dharmaj, Gujarat, India. She moved with her husband to Tanganyika (now Tanzania), but was forced to leave for Britain following the co...

Person, Politics & Administration, Africa, India

1 memorial
Peter Alderton
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Philip Murdin

Philip Murdin

Of the English Heritage Stone Carvers Studio.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Harry Barwood
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
French hospital in Bath Street

French hospital in Bath Street

Founded by royal charter in 1718 to house the poor or infirm of French Huguenot descent. Known as "La Providence". In 1866 the hospital was moved to Victoria Park in Hackney and in 1960 to Rocheste...

Building, Medicine, Social Welfare, France

1 memorial