Monument record MLI10031 - Dominican Friary, Boston

Summary

Remains of Dominican Friary, Boston.

Type and Period (5)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

The Dominican friars settled in Boston soon after 1221. The church and other buildings were burnt during the Chamberlain's Riot of 1287-88 and re-established shortly afterwards. The house was surrendered in 1539. The site occupied about 5 acres between Shodfriars Lane and Spain Lane. The remains in Spain Lane are of an early 13th century date. {1}{2}{3}{4} A two storey building in Spain Lane, the oldest in Boston, probably formed part of the southern range of the cloister buildings. Fragmentary remains, probably of the church, lie behind the Custom House in South Street (PRN 14390) and in Ridlington's Wine Cellars (10 South Street, PRN 14389) adjoining it. The burial ground was probably near the school. The site was excavated in 1961. {5}{6}{7} There are extant remains of the friary in Spain Lane, known as the Blackfriars building (PRN 14529), and there is also said to be an arch in the entrance of the 'Ship Tavern', Custom House Lane (PRN 14244). The cloister range is now being restored. A long, two-storeyed stone building, probably the southern range of the cloister garth. The north face, in Spain Lane, shows two pointed doorways at the east end on the ground floor and four windows on the upper floor, each having two pointed lights cut out of one lintel stone, besides numerous modern openings. A stone grooved corbel below string-course level probably supported the wooden cloister roof. The south face is apparently blank and probably of 13th century date. The first record of the Blackfriars friary is in 1288, and there was re-building after a fire of that date. Thompson did not recognise this as part of the Friary, but noted fragments may exist. In the 1950's the condition of the building was described as mutilated, the eastern end was tile-less. It was used as a rough storehouse. At sometime it was called the 'Priory'. It has now been restored and is used as a theatre and arts centre (2000). The Dominican Friary in Spain Lane is scheduled (SAM 112). {8}{9}{10} The site was de-scheduled on 4th April 1990. A lump of bronze found during the excavation of the friary suggests a possible connection with bell-founding. {11} An archaeological evaluation at Shodfriars Lane revealed structural remains of the Dominican Friary. The first evidence for activity on the site is the layers thought to represent land stabilisation and reclamation on the site. A hearth-like feature was also recorded which is thought to represent the earliest occupation on the site. The remains of a wall aligned east to west across the east end of the site is interpreted as being part of the friary precinct wall. A ditch was also observed, with the remains of a wattle fence running alongside its latest recut. It appears to have been in use throughout the majority of the friary's life. It could be associated with washrooms, kitchens or reredorter. The latter is more unlikely as the ditch was not covered, and it is thought that these would be located nearer to the barditch. Levelling appears to have taken place in the 1800s, when tenements were built on the site. {12} Beneath 10 South Street and the Custom House there are the remains of the vaulted undercroft to the Dominican friary. The remains date from the 14th century. {13}

Sources/Archives (13)

  •  Index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Card Index. TF 34 SW: 1.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Pishey Thompson. 1856. The Histories and Antiquities of Boston. pp.108-9, 231.
  •  Serial: Holman Sutcliffe, J H. 1934. The Lincolnshire Magazine. vol.2, part.8, pp.237-40.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: D. Knowles and R.N. Hadcock. 1953. Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales - First Edition. p.183.
  •  Index: MAYES, P.. 1961. EAST MIDLANDS ARCHAEOLOGICAL BULLETIN. p.5.
  •  Index: HBMC. 1961. ANCIENT MONUMENTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES. p.63.
  •  Index: Lincolnshire County Council. Sites and Monuments Record Card Index. TF 34 SW: E.
  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. AM 7. SAM 112.
  •  Article in Serial: MOORHOUSE, S.. 1972. LINCOLNSHIRE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY. vol.7, pp.21-54.
  •  Correspondence: WHITWELL, J.B.. 1963. PARISH FILE. -.
  •  Correspondence: ENGLISH HERITAGE. 1990. DESCHEDULING DOCUMENT. REF: MPP 26/AA30557/1.
  •  Report: Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire. 1991. Archaeological Evaluation at Shodfriars Lane, Boston. -.
  •  Index: Department of Culture, Media and Sport. 1999. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 716-1/10/279; 716-1/10/280.

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Grid reference Centred TF 3287 4394 (91m by 90m) Estimated from sources
Civil Parish BOSTON, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

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Record last edited

Sep 26 2023 9:14AM

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