Black Friars (Gloucester)
The Black Friars is a historic building in the ancient cathedral city of Gloucester.
It was a friary of the Dominican friars, known as the Black Friars because of the colour of their habits.
The friary was founded in 1239, and in its heyday accommodated around forty friars.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the building was bought by Thomas Bell, a local clothier, who converted into his personal mansion and his workshops.
Amazingly intact behind its sturdy walls, the Black Friars is not normally accessible to the public, but there are plans to have it regularly open, both as a place of historical interest and for small scale concerts.