Greyfriars Tower In Tower Gardens

Greyfriars Tower is the central crossing tower of the Church of St Francis Priory, associated with the Greyfriars Order. It was founded around 1230 and enlarged around 1300, with the tower constructed in the late 14th century using 13th-century masonry courses. The structure is made of brick and carstone, featuring ashlar dressings. It has a Mendicant plan that includes a passageway under the tower running from north to south, along with conventional east-west chancel and nave arches.

The base consists of crossing piers from the 13th century, and the buttresses are formed from the nave and chancel walls, complete with set-offs. The east and west arches are made of stone, featuring wave, hollow, and roll moulded piers on low polygonal bases, with polygonal capitals and triple-chamfered pointed arches. A staircase is located within the north-east pier.

The tower has gabled elements on the north and south, roofed with stone slabs, and slopes up to an octagonal two-stage tower, with the staircase turret continuing upward. Each facet of the first stage has two-light transomed Perpendicular windows with cusped ogee heads, while the second stage features similar but simpler windows. The crenellated parapet is adorned with cusped arcading. Greyfriars Tower is recognized as the best surviving Mendicant tower in the country that exhibits the under-tower north-south passage, second only to St Andrew's in Norwich. It is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.