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Greyfriars, St Andrews

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Greyfriars was a religious house in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, in the later Middle Ages. The house was Franciscan (hence "grey friars"), of the Observant (as opposed to Conventual) kind).[1]

Founded by Bishop James Kennedy somewhere between 1463 and 1466, it received additional endowments from Kennedy's successor Patrick Graham.[2] The foundation may not have been completed by Kennedy's death in May 1465, but was certainly initiated by him.[3] These grants were confirmed by King James III 21 December 1479.[3]

At its foundation, there was provision for 24 friars, though by the Reformation there is only evidence of six.[3] In July 1547, the friary was burned by the army of Norman Leslie.[3] It was resigned to the burgh magistrates in May 1559, and around 14 June 1559 it was destroyed, either by the Reformers or the magistrates.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ Cowan and Easson, Medieval Religious Houses, pp. 124, 129, 132
  2. ^ Cowan and Easson, Medieval Religious Houses, pp. 130, 132
  3. ^ a b c d e Cowan and Easson, Medieval Religious Houses, p. 132

References

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  • Cowan, Ian B.; Easson, David E. (1976), Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man (2nd ed.), London and New York: Longman, ISBN 0-582-12069-1