England’s oldest friary is the subject of the latest Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Lecture which takes place tomorrow (March 20).
The talk entitled ‘Hiding in plain sight: The Greyfriars Lincoln, England’s oldest Friary Church’ is at 7.30pm at the Broad Street Methodist Church.
It will be delivered by Mark Gardiner, emeritus professor of medieval archaeology at the University of Lincoln.
A spokesman said: “The original function of Greyfriars in Lincoln has been debated over many years.
“When the building was restored in 2025, scaffolding was erected, allowing access to the medieval roof. It was possible for the first time in over a century to study the building in detail.
“This was accompanied by a laser survey of the building and a reappraisal of the documentary evidence.
“It has been possible to show that this was the first friary church, the earliest still-standing such building in England. It has allowed us to consider how far the Franciscans adhered to their ideals of poverty.”
Entry is £5 or free for full-time students.
See www.sgsoc.org for more information.
