The Franciscan, or Grey, Friars
founded at an early period of the 13th century. Hawise Gadarn, (born 1291,) the heiress of the ancient Princes of Powis Gwenwynwyn, and wife of Sir John de Cherleton, was a great benefactress of this religious house, and contributed to the friars considerable aid in the erection of their church, which it is conjectured she adorned with the fine stained glass now in the east window of St. Mary’s church. This patronage was continued to them by her son Sir John de Cherleton. The corporation of the town also appear at all times to have regarded these friars with an eye of peculiar favour, and to have bestowed upon them various sums of money towards the repairs of their buildings. In the reign of Henry VIII. the greater part of the house was rebuilt by Dr. Francis Duff hill, at that time Warden. This and the other friaries of the town were on their dissolution granted by Henry VIII. in 1543, to Richard Andrewes, and Nicholas Temple. Portions of the friary converted into houses still exist. On the side next the river is a MULLIONED WINDOW, and on the other side a doorway, both of the obtusely pointed arch of the reign of Henry VIII. The walls of the garden may be traced far into the adjoining meadow.
The Lady Hawise, according to Leland, “lyith buried under a flate marble by Chorleton’s tumbe,” in the church, and several members of her ancient family received interment here. The path on the “gentle Severn’s sedgy bank” soon leads us to