Franciscan Friary

Partial access to interior. A corridor runs through the building from the W, towards the SE and into the church. It has quadripartite vaulting to the ceiling and a tile floor.

L-shaped range in Collegiate Gothic style with turret in angle. Two storeys with attics and basements. The church to the S forms the 3rd side of a courtyard which is open to the W. Constructed of snecked grey stone with sandstone dressings under steeply pitched slate roofs, with some fish-scale tiles. Detail includes gables over upper storey windows, a string course at 1st floor level, buttresses with offsets and raised stone copings to gables. Perpendicular-style tracery. The S front of the E-W range is articulated by 4 gables over the 1st floor windows, which are flat-headed with square hoodmoulds under relieving arches. The L window is 3-light, each light with a Tudor-arched head. The others have 2 similar lights flanking a blind panel. Some small-pane glazing is retained. Small pierced quatrefoils to gables. The lower storey is divided into 8 bays by tall angle buttresses. Each bay has a tall 2-light window under a segmental-pointed head with a transom and heavy cusping to the lights. Two-light openings to basement storey with flat heads. Diagonal buttress to SW angle of range. The wide gable end has windows as front to the lower storey, to the L and centre. To the R is a blank shield with tracery above in a square stone surround. To the 1st floor is a flat-headed 4-light window with cusping and a transom. Beneath is a frieze with 4 blank shields with a 5th centrally placed above the window. Two-light window to its L with flat head and transom. The attic is lit by a 2-light window under a flat head, the lights with cusped ogee heads. Small quatrefoils flanking window. Stone end stack with 3 diagonally-set shafts.

Two-stage tower in angle of ranges supporting a tall octagonal spirelet on stepped offsets. String course between stages and diagonal buttress to angle. Narrow trefoiled lights to W side at ground and 1st floor levels. Small cross-angle windows between tower and E-W range, that to the upper storey corbelled. In the S wall at 1st floor level is a statue within a trefoil-arched niche. Towards the top of the tower to the S and W sides are clocks, each within a square stone surround under a hoodmould. The octagonal spirelet has a louvre opening to each face with cusped ogee tracery. Pyramidal roof with lucarnes.

The adjoining N-S range faces W and the roof line steps down to the R. To the L at ground floor level are windows to the centre and R as E-W range, with a single light to the L in the same style. The string course continues. Above is a gable offset to the R over a 3-light 1st floor window. To its L is a small 2-light window beneath the eaves. Two skylights to roof pitch. Stone ridge stack. The lower part to the R is 3-window and has no string course. Central pointed-arched doorway with planked door, flanked by small 2-light windows, the lights with trefoiled heads, under segmental-pointed arches without hoodmoulds. Similar window above door, flanked by single lights. Gabled attic dormer to centre, also with 2-light window. Small ridge stack to R end.

The rear of the E-W range has 5 gables over the 1st floor windows (as front). Between the 3rd and 4th gables from the L is a lateral stack. To its L, the bays are further divided at ground floor level by tall angle buttresses. Each narrow bay has a tall flat-headed 2-light window with transom and hoodmould under a relieving arch. To the R of the stack are 2 identical windows but with no dividing buttress. A single-storey lean-to adjoins the R bay, which is part of the linking range. A metal fire-escape staircase rises over the lean-to to a late C20 door which replaces the R light of the 1st floor window.

The E gable end has small single lights to the 1st floor and an ornate 2-light window to the attic as W gable. Adjoining at ground floor level is a single-storey link to the addition of 1899 which has a 3-light window under a segmental-pointed head to the S. To the L of the gable end is the rear side of the N-S range with higher part to R and in the same style. This includes a gable offset to the L over a 1st floor window (as front), and to its R a 4-light window. Doorway below with Tudor-arched head and a 2-light flat-headed window to its R. Two skylights to roof pitch.

Additional range to E has been altered and is 2-storey with an attic clerestorey which may be a later addition. The 2 bays to the R have been rebuilt in red brick. The attic has 3-light uPVC windows. The 1st floor has corbelled lateral stacks, now truncated, and flat-headed 2-light windows. Sill band and angle buttress to L. The lower storey windows are closely spaced and 2-light under segmental-pointed heads with transoms. The rear side has a tall lateral stack offset to the R and truncated stacks to the L and centre. Four angle buttresses with offsets. Flat-headed windows to ground and 1st floors, irregularly set.