Denbigh Friary

A Bit of History…

Denbigh Friary was probably founded by Sir John Salusbury of Lleweni in about 1289 for the White Friars of the Order of Carmelites. The Carmelite Order was founded in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, arriving in England with returning crusaders in 1242.

The friary was suppressed under the orders of Henry VIII in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Following the dissolution the Bishops leased the property and an inventory taken at the time lists the church, hall, kitchen, brewhouse, buttery, and stables, among other buildings, meaning that the buildings must have been extensive, covering a sizeable portion of land.

Some of the buildings were converted into private houses, while the church found a number of uses over the years, such as wool storage, as a malthouse, and as a dwelling. Nearby Abbey Cottage was built from the friary’s dormitory and refectory.

Today the remains consist of the ruined 13th-century church, with 14th- and 15th-century additions. The church was gutted by fire in 1898, leaving just the church walls. Several features survive, most notably the great blocked Perpendicular east window with its 15th-century tracery.