In 1237 Henry III granted the Dominicans land within the city walls, £500 and timber for the roofs to build a church and priory.[1] The site was centred on the modern Blackfriars Street. The priory was suppressed in 1538 and became a weaving factory, but over the following century buildings were gradually demolished.
The refectory on the east bank survives to this day – it was used as an Anabaptist (later Unitarian) meeting house from 1640 until 1912. In the 1920s it was restored and used as a store before the Cleary Foundation bought it in 1982 to give to The King's School as an art gallery.[1] The location of the gatehouse is marked by a plaque and paving at the entrance to The Friars.
The guest house on the west bank became a private residence in the 1780s and a furniture store from 1905. In 1979 it was bought and restored by local residents Mr and Mrs Beerling for use as a scout and community hall.[1]
