A LONDON DISCOVERY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 December 1925, Page 9

A LONDON DISCOVERY.

ON THE SITE OF BLACKFRIARS PRIORY. Workmen engaged oil excavations between Queen Y ictoria Street ana Ludgate, E.C., London, have discovered toe base of a stone column and other remains of the ancient Dominican Priory of the Black Friars, after which the neighbourhood is named. The priory, with its church, dates back to te 13th century. Father O’Hanlon, of St. Dominic’s Priory, Southampton Road, who has made a particular study of medieval history and is taking a personal -interest in the discovery, told a Daily Alail reporter that when the Black Briars’ priory was built permission was given for a part of the wall of London to be knocked down and used in its construction. He said: “Part of the priory projected through the space thus made in the old wall, and it was possible, therefore, to gam access to the priory from outside London’s wall. It is probable that the building was planned" in this way m ■order that beggars and other i persons seeking sanctuary, who would not b© allowed to enter the city, might gain shelter. What has become of most of the remains of the ancient priory of Black Friars is a mystery, but it is fairly certain that- even in modern times much of the old building was used for road-making in the city.” It is not possible for the general public to view the site of the discovery as it is enemsed in a high wooden hoarding. The excavation in which the remains have been found is in a rectangle of ground surrounded by Ohurchentry, Carter Lane, Friar Street, and Ireland Yard. It is in toe midst of the tangle of narrow streets and alleys lying between Queen Victoria Street arid Ludgate Hill, which covers the sites of many famous buildings of ancient London. Alountfitchet Castle, pulled down in 1276, was. on or near this site, and Baynarc! Castle was not far away. St. Anne’s, Blackfriars, once stood on the spot, and a fragment' of a burial »round adjoins the excavations. A Daily Alail reuorter who visited the site 'discovered’ that some of the remains of the monastery are only a foot or so below the street level.