A plaque on the building states "site of establishment of Friars Observant founded in 1499 by Henry VII. (1)
The Friary was founded by Henry VII c 1499, but established in 1507 according to Little. On being dissolved in 1534, it was occupied by the Austin Friars until 1539. (2)
Excavations in advance of construction work, 1978, revealed 3 stone walls and passageway with traces of stone steps and doorway - the end of a building ? Little dating evidence, but possibly part of the C16 Friary complex. Finds include a silver coin of Elizabeth I, a bridle bit, copper pins and a fragment of a Bellarmine jug. (3)
Digging of water trench observed in 1982 - some walling, C18 bottle dump, stone culvert (recent ?). (4)
Layout of buildings not sure, description of 1544-7 gives mansion house, church, cemetery, and gardens etc - friars may have been accommodated in the equivalent of a large town house. Only the line of the boundary remains. (5) (6)
See M3637 for P Med house, M8494 for Civil War earthworks, M18182 for Cemetery, M18318 for SE boundary wall.

<1> Harper FR, 1962, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT748.

<2> Knowles D and Hadcock N, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses (2nd edn), pp 230-1,240,242 (Published document). SNT867.

<3> EMAB eds, 1979-82, East Midlands Archaeological Bulletin, p 23 (Published document). SNT164.

<4> NCC Archaeology Team, Site Book 1, pp 16-21 (Unpublished document). SNT307.

<5> NCC Archaeology Team, Site Book 3, pp 38-97 (Unpublished document). SNT309.

<6> Bishop MW, 1980, The Friary, Newark (Unpublished document). SNT502.