When Whitefriars wasn’t just about shopping

Of the three medieval friaries that once existed in Canterbury, significant remains of two of them, namely the Franciscan Greyfriars and the Dominican Blackfriars, can still be found today.

Sadly though, nothing remains of the Augustinian Whitefriars, who once occupied a large, walled site to the south of St George’s Street.

Interestingly, this had not always been the case and one has only to go back to late 1940s’ Canterbury for tangible evidence of these Augustinian brothers.

At this time, and despite the losses of the blitz, the west door of the Whitefriars Church still stood, as did sections of its north wall.

And, in nearby Gravel Walk, significant lengths of the original precincts perimeter wall could still be found.

Sadly, these invaluable fragments of history were gradually destroyed as the area was redeveloped.

The last standing remains of the early 14th century friary was a substantial wall, marooned in Gravel Walk car park, that once belonged to a west facing monastic range located to the south of the church.

This can be seen in the first of the above photos, looking north towards Whitefriars Passage.

The length of wall boasted two blocked windows, both with much stonework surviving.

Shamefully, this last fragment went the way of all the other remains and was demolished to create an unloading area for the early 1970s Whitefriars shopping scheme.

The very last reminder of the friary, namely Whitefriars Passage, was blocked off by Mcdonald’s to expand their St George’s Street shop.

And now, there’s nothing.

Whitefriars Passage, and the escalator, in 1998

The last fragment of Whitefriars, as it was in 1968