Four Orders

There were four orders of friars: the Franciscans; the Dominicans; the Carmelites; and the Augustinians. You can find a brief description about each order below.

The Franciscans, Grey friars or Friars Minor

St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was the son of a rich cloth merchant and was engaged in his father’s business. Originally drawn to the monastic life, Francis left the family home and adopted the life-style of a poor hermit. He gathered around him a small band of men and drew up the Rule of St Francis for them to live by.
The first and most important feature of this rule was that the brethren should own nothing, serve God in poverty and gain their livelihood by begging. They were to give their possessions to the poor and care for the sick.
Thanks to the support of Pope Innocent III and the widespread appeal of Francis’s message, the Franciscan Order proved immensely popular. Some of its members, who were like urban missionaries, first arrived in Norwich in 1226, where they set up a house in the area north of Conisford, the present-day King Street.

The Dominicans, Black Friars or Friars Preachers

The first Dominicans differed from the early friars minor both in their mission and the circumstances in which their order was founded. From the start they were a learned and clerical order, which meant that more of them were ordained as priests.
The Dominicans wore a black cloak over a white habit and scapular. It was from their distinctive clothing that they derived the popular name: black friars.
Their order was created by two men – the Spaniard, Dominic of Caleruega (hence ‘Dominicans’), and the German, Jordan of Saxony. As you will soon discover, their origins may be traced from events in the south of France, the Languedoc, where the Church was threatened by a growing body of heretics known as the Cathars.
It was St Dominic’s preaching mission to combat these heretics that gave birth to the new order, and which explains why Dominicans were also known as the friars preachers.
The black friars first arrived in Norwich in 1226 when they settled across the river in the northern suburbs.

You can read more about St Dominic by clicking here

The Carmelites or White friars

Unlike the Franciscans and Dominicans, the Carmelites did not trace their origin back to any one founder.
The Carmelite Order emerged in the twelfth century, when groups of hermits living on the slopes on Mont Carmel began to form a religious organization.
In 1247, Innocent IV authorised them to make new settlements, especially in towns or centres of population. They were organised for pastoral work and the promotion of advanced scholastic studies.
The Carmelites were known as white friars on account of their white habit.
They first arrived in England in 1241-2, and became devoted to preaching and study.
In 1256 they arrived in Norwich, where they settled the parish of St James, north of the river on a site given to them by Philip Cowgate, a rich merchant.
It took until 1383 for their church to be completely finished. It was 46 feet long on the south side and 35 feet wide; and the cloister extended 35 yards.

The Augustinian or Austin Friars

The fourth and last of the Orders was the Augustinians.
They originated in an amalgamation of groups of hermits living in northern Italy.
Initially, the Order lived a contemplative life in hermitages, but its members soon moved to towns and cities and established houses of study in many of the universities of northern Europe.
The Order, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (d. 430), one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity, followed the Rule of St Augustine.
The Rule was written c. 400, and is one of the earliest guides for religious life.

The Rule, as practised today, is not very long and is divided into eight chapters:

The Austin friars arrived in Norwich in 1288-89, and were given land by Roger Minyot and other donors, south of the Franciscans’ house in King Street, with a river frontage at St Anne’s Staithe.