Dominican Friars in Shropshire

Some time shortly before 1232 a community of Dominican Friars settled in Shrewsbury. They were the earliest order of monks to arrive in Shrewsbury.

The earliest known benefactor of the community was King Henry III, who visited Shrewsbury in 1232 and soon after granted the Dominican friars 30 Oak trees as well as the stone that was lying in the River Severn under the castle. These were to be used to build their church.

The house of the Dominican Friars was situated outside the town walls on the bank of the River Severn, between St. Mary’s Water Lane and the English Bridge.

In 1241-2 they were allowed to join the precinct wall of their church to the town wall. During the rebuilding of the town walls Henry III ordered the bailiffs and sheriff of Shrewsbury to reserve two hundred cartloads of the surplus stone for the Friars. They were also to have a hundred loads of lime from the lime kilns under the Wrekin.