Nottingham Whitefriars

Nottingham Whitefriars

Coat of arms of the Carmelite Order
Location within Nottingham
Monastery information
Other names	Nottingham Carmelite Friary, Nottingham White Friary, Whitefriars, Nottingham
Order	Carmelite
Established	1271
Disestablished	1539
Site
Location	Nottingham
Coordinates	52°57′09″N 1°09′07″W / 52.952631°N 1.15184°W / 52.952631; -1.15184Coordinates: 52°57′09″N 1°09′07″W / 52.952631°N 1.15184°W / 52.952631; -1.15184
Visible remains	None

Nottingham Whitefriars is a former Carmelite monastery located in Nottingham, England.

The friary was reputedly founded by Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, and Sir John Shirley around 1276, but this has been found to be incorrect. The foundation of the friary is unlikely as, "all the foundation that was permissible for a friary of the Mendicant orders (to which the Carmelites belong) was the gift of a site". The date is also implausible as in 1272 (four years before the reputed date) the friary was given 10 oaks to repair their church by King Henry III.

The friary was in fact founded sometime before 1271. The land the priory was built on may have, however, been gifted by Reginald de Grey, the Royal Confirmation Charter given by King Edward II in 1319 records the donation of two plots of land by de Grey. The two plots were adjacent: one "in the French borough of Nottingham and the other in St. James's Lane". The friary is thought to have been held in the townspeople's affections as the friary site was extended with numerous donations of land and tenements adjacent to the friary. These donations were made by: Henry and Agnes Curtyse, William and Claricia de Chesterfield (and their sons and daughters), William and Agnes de Crophill, William de Lonnesdale, Ralph de Lokynton, William de Mekesburgh, Thomas de Radford, Nicholas de Shelford, William de Strelley, John de Thorneton, Cecilia de Ufton, Robert de Ufton, William de Watton, John de Wymondswold, Robert le Carter, William le Chaundeler, John le Collier, Ranulph le Leper, John and Sarah le Netherd, Alice le Palmere, Henry Putrel. Their precinct was extended again in October 1319, following the donation of a 80ft by 60ft parcel of land, by Hugh de Bingham.

Edward II was very fond of the friary. In his Royal Confirmation Charter, he granted the friars freedom from the 5s. 6d. rent they owed to the crown, "on account of the special affection that we have and bear to the said prior and brethren." In 1316, whilst visiting Clipston, Nottinghamshire, King Edward had given the friary the Chapel of Saint James, which had formerly belonged to Lenton Priory, and which was adjacent to their friary.