Monastic Wales.








Event detail for site: Brecon

1538: Dissolution

Brecon remained a small friary but was the largest of the Welsh friaries. At the time of its suppression there were ten friars and the community owned about six acres of land and had a small garden.

Shortly after its dissolution Henry VIII established a school here in 1541 which in 1855, by Act of Parliament, became a public secondary school. A public school continues to occupy the site and uses as its chapel the choir and chancel of the friary church.

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales, ed. R. Neville Hadcock and David Knowles (Harlow, 1971) p. 251

Web links (open in new window)

Website of Christ College, Brecon: the history of Christ College (former Dominican friary) (View website)

Silvester, R. J., Hankinson, R., Owen, W. and Jones, N., Medieval and Early Post-Medieval Monastic and Ecclesiastical Sites in East and North-East Wales: The Scheduling Enhancement Programme (report for Cadw) (View website)

Other events in the history of this site

1269: Foundation - The friary was founded in 1269. [1 sources]
1291: Grant - Eleanor of Castile gave 100s to Brecon and to each of the other four Dominican houses in Wales. [1 sources]
1525: Bequest - Sir Rhys ap Thomas, who died in 1525, left £2 13s 4d for new vestments at the Dominican friaries in Brecon and Haverfordwest. [1 sources]
1538: Dissolution - Brecon remained a small friary but was the largest of the Welsh friaries. At the time of its suppression there were ten friars and the community owned about six acres of land and had a small garden. [3 sources]
 
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