Medieval Friars

Here you will find a simple introduction to medieval friars and the different religious orders. You can learn about the Franciscans, Dominicans (the Black Friars), Carmelites and Augustinians. All four orders established houses in England, and all four settled in Norwich.

What is a friar?

In response to the crisis of confidence in which the Western Church found itself, there arose a new type of religious order, eventually approved by the papacy and consisting of men dedicated to the preaching of the original Christian message amongst the laity.
The men who undertook to this massive task represented a new and revolutionary version of the religious life.
They became known as ‘friars’, from the Latin word frater, meaning brother.

Their mission was preaching and ministering to the people. They believed that it was possible for a committed Christian to live in the world of men, yet not to be seduced by the temptations of the world. Indeed, unlike the monk, who was enclosed within a monastery, the friar was mobile and had to travel wherever he might be needed.
Like monks, however, friars lived lives based on the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Of the three vows which defined their way of life, initially that of poverty was most evident. Indeed, they were known as mendicants (a beggar) because they supported themselves by begging.
They came to big towns and cities not only because there were large numbers of people from whom to beg, but because it was there that the struggle for religious orthodoxy was to be won or lost.

Where were the friaries in Norwich?