Leicester Austin Friars

Leicester Austin Priory was founded in 1254 and dedicated to St Katherine of Alexandria.

[1][2] In 1372 a general chapter of the Order of Austin Hermit Friars was held at the priory.

Around the same time (the late 14th-century) the community was home to a Friar Hermit named Thomas Ratcliffe, who was regarded as a renowned preacher.

[2] The priory was surrendered for dissolution on November 10th, 1538.

At dissolution it was home to the Prior and three friars, and owned only the land it stood upon and a few small properties within the town.

An image of a medieval funeral procession in Leicester involving Friars from four different mendicant orders including the Austin Friars, as well as the Greyfriars , the Blackfriars , some Whitefriars (an order not present in Leicester), and a group of lay mourners. The church depicted is the now demolished St Sepulchre outside the southern wall of old Leicester (now Leicester Royal Infirmary ). [ 4 ]