NHER 5912 (Monument record) - Site of St Augustine's church and Austin Friary, Thetford

Site of St. Augustine's Church (Austin Friary)
Founded in 1387, the friary had six friars and was dissolved 1538.
Pevsner (S1) mentions a monument of 1807 erected where the bodies of Lady Todenham and Lady Hengrave were reinterred when foundations of friary buildings were removed; the burials were originally early 15th century. Ordnance Survey states that the monument was destroyed in building the new houses to north, but the Listing states that it has been re-erected in the garden of a modern house between Ford Place and Friars Close.
The extent of the Friary is not known and the grid reference is that of the original location of the monument. Tom Martin's 18th century map (S2) seems to show the site further west near Ford Place (NHER 40576 and NHER 45469), but it is not very accurate in this sector and the relationship of his marked site to Nun's Bridges is the same as that of this grid ref to the bridges in reality.
E. Rose (NAU) 1981.

1807.
The remains of Lady Todenham and her daughter Lady Hengrave were discovered during the removal of the foundations of St Augustine's Church. These remains were reinterred near the location where they were found and an inscribed monument was erected in their memory by George Beauchamp, Esq.
See (S3) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 20 October 2008.

1983. Site Visit.
Several carved fragments and a large number of cut stone fragments were observed within Ford Place gardens during a site visit. Some of these examples were spot dated to the 14th to 15th century, while others were dated to the 12th to 13th century. It is possible that some of this stone work came from the adjacent Friary, but it may be more likely that the items represent a general collection from the town. See NHER 45469 for further details.
See (S4) and (S5) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 27 July 2008.

December 1985-February 1986. Excavation.
Three trenches were excavated in the grounds of Ford Place home for the elderly to the west of this site in order to determine if the Castle Hill earthworks (NHER 5747) extended into the area. Two of the trenches were located within the walled kitched garden while the third and largest was located within the grounds, stretching approximately 21m south from the kitchen garden. Features dating from the Prehistoric to the medieval period were recorded.
These included several medieval pits and a layer containing 13th to 14th century pottery. Very few finds dating from the late 14th to the 16th century were recovered, possibly lending support to the suggestion that this area may have been within the grounds of the Augustinian Friary. See NHER 5940 for further details.
See (S6) and (S7) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 16 October 2008.

1993.
Revised listing states that the monument to Lady Todenham and Lady Hengrave is back at its original grid reference as above. It is inscribed 'In veneration of this consecrated place and of these illustrious persons this altar tomb was erected by George Beauchamp Esq AD 1807'. The revised text does not mention the 'two corbels' described in the earlier listing.
See (S8) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA) 28 March 1994.

January 1998.
This area is under consideration for inclusion in the schedule for Castle Hill (NHER 5747). The 1998 draft extended schedule states that friary was founded 1387 by John of Gaunt and had only six friars. In 1408 a licence was obtained to demolish a house between the friary and the street to enlarge the church and cloister and build a hermitage. However, by 1538 the friary was impoverished and it was dissolved. An 18th century plan shows a broad nave perhaps with aisles and a narrower choir and presbytery with a 'walking place' between the nave and the choir. A later plan shows a steeple above this and stairs up.
See (S9) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA) 29 January 1998.

September 1998.
This area has been scheduled as part of Castle Hill (NHER 5747).
See (S9) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 27 July 2008

2002. Casual find.
A late 15th century Scottish coin was found in the garden of Friary House.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 1 November 2002.

2003. Casual find.
A medieval limestone corbel in the form of a beast was found in the garden of Friary House. The corbel is likely from the Augustinian Priory, possibly reused in the monument erected in 1807.
See description and digital photographs (S10) in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 21 March 2003.

See copies of digital photographs by member of the public [1] of, and manuscript notes by [1] about monument of 1807 in file (S11).
A. Rogerson (NLA) 31 March 2003.

2003. Casual find.
Another medieval carved stone was found in the garden of Friary House. It has been identified as an elaborate crocketted relief pinnacle dated to the late 15th to early 16th century.
See description in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 2 April 2003.
This appears to be the same pinnacle observed by E. Rose in the gardens of Ford Place in 1983 (S4).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 20 October 2008.

February 2009.
Scheduled monument consent granted concerning the facilitation of an historical re-enactment, including the errection of temporary barrier posts and the insertion of pegs for guy ropes and awnings.
See (S37) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 19 March 2009.