UPDATED June 2015: important new interpretation of friary buildings by leading mediaeval expert

Dr John Ashdown-Hill (of ‘finding Richard III’ fame), a leading academic in the field of mediaeval study, has worked on a new interpretation of how the original Grey Friars  church may have looked, and equally importantly, its location.

Using the 1718 sketch of the above-ground remains, by William Stukeley (who also drew St Botolph’s Priory), augmented by various pieces of evidence from other reports on the site, plus adjustments to pictures of existing Franciscan friary buildings, he has suggested how the site may have been laid out.

First revealed in a recent keynote lecture to the Essex Society for Archaeology and History, John has shared his material with our project.

We have now prepared an article on his important investigations.

*** Visit this website’s “Resources” section for details of this and other contributions from local people with knowledge and interest. ***

Update: The medieval depiction of East Hill and East Gate featured in our resource item, and interpreted for us by John Ashdown-Hill, now features on the information board installed at the junction of East Hill and Roman Road by the Friends of Colchester’s Roman Wall, see>     www.romanwall.org

The board was sponsored by the Colchester Civic Society to mark its 50th anniversary, see>  www.colchestercivicsociety.co.uk