THE GREY OR FRANCISCAN FRIARY.
The remnant illustrated by the wood cut comprises probably the refectory, which was partly re-edificed as late as the reign of Henry the Eighth.
This religious society, sometimes called Friars Minors, settled in this town early in the thirteenth century. Hawis, wife to Charleton Lord of Powys (born in 1291), and heir of the ancient Princes of Powys Gwenwynwyn, was a great benefactress to this friary, if not its second foundress.
From the quantity of bones which have been found within the precinct of this convent, it would seem that no unprofitable use was made of the privilege granted to this order by the Pope of “liberam sepulturam.” This and their reputed sanctity, as well as the popular belief that whoever was buried in their cemetery or in the habit of a grey friar would be secure from the attacks of evil spirits and find an easy entrance into heaven, were circumstances doubtless of such importance as to induce many persons to desire sepulture among such hallowed men.
The splendid stained glass now in the eastern window of St. Mary’s chancel is supposed to have originally decorated the church of this friary, which was the burial place of the Lords of Powys.
On the opposite side of the river is the foundry and the suburb of Coleham.
Passing under the arch of the English Bridge, to the left are some modern dwellings on the site of a curious half-timbered mansion erected in the reign of Elizabeth by William Jones, an alderman and opulent draper of the town, and father of Thomas Jones, the first mayor of Shrewsbury. A view and description of this curious building, communicated by the author of these pages, will be found in vol. 99, part ii. of the Gentleman’s Magazine.
A few yards beyond stood
THE DOMINICAN FRIARY,
which comprehended nearly the whole space now occupied by gardens between the bridge and the water gate. [176]
This order of mendicants took their name from their founder, and were sometimes called “Preachers” from their office, and “Black Friars” from their dress.
The convent, like those of the Austin and Franciscan friars, was placed on the margin of the river, outside the walls and adjacent to the bridges.
From the rich architectural remains, &c. which have occasionally been dug up here, the church must have been a spacious and elegant building; but, in common with the other convents, it shared the fate of the dissolution of monasteries, and was sold by Henry the Eighth in 1543. The hand of man, combined with the operations of time, had, previously to 1823, left but few vestiges either of the convent where Richard and George Plantagenet, two sons of Edward the Fourth, were born, or the more recent fortifications erected on this interesting spot,—where several military transactions were determined in various periods of our domestic history.
The bank on which this friary stood was levelled in the above-mentioned year, when the foundations of several walls were cleared to a considerable extent, and numerous capitals, pieces of mullions, with remains of stained glass, enamelled tiles, &c. were discovered by the workmen employed in the construction of a new building and wharf. Several stone graves were also brought to view, the masonry of which was well finished, and formed so as nearly to fit the corpse. After clearing the soil from these tombs, skeletons were found encased in red sand, but without the least trace of any thing in which the body might have been enveloped. The only remains of this once noble pile are the materials used in the construction of a stable and the wall surrounding the gardens. Adjoining is