Dunwich had been a very important town in the 13thC with six churches, Greyfriars Friary and Blackpriors Priory. The coastline is unstable and subject to severe coastal erosion. Now only Greyfriars Friary is left, standing on the edge of the cliffs to the south east of the modern village.
There has been a friary here since 1290. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became a private house. In the Second World War it was occupied by the army and used as a radar site and gun position to defend against VI rockets.
The flint wall surrounding the friary still remains with the 14thC gateways. There are two gateways on the west side. A larger more ornate one was just used on ceremonial occasions. The smaller gateway was for everyday use.
Inside is a large grassy area, with a few lumps and bumps marking the positions of buildings. The local farmer uses the land for grazing. Part of the refectory building still stands.
A gateway at the east gives access to a cliff top walk back to Dunwich.
Access to the site is free which is accessible or any reasonable time. There is a small off road parking space.
There isn’t a lot to see and it isn’t worth going out of your way to find.
