© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Dominican Friary is a medieval friary in Wales protected by Cadw under reference GM173. The site sits on Triassic bedrock of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, geological deposits laid down over 200 million years ago during the Triassic period. This underlying foundation of red and mottled sedimentary rock would have presented particular challenges and opportunities for the friars' builders, influencing how they constructed their religious community.
The Dominican Order, known as the Black Friars for their dark robes, established friaries across Wales from the 13th century onward. These communities differed from monasteries in their emphasis on preaching and pastoral care within towns and settlements rather than isolated rural withdrawal. The friary's placement on this Triassic geology, typical of certain Welsh valleys, reflects the friars' choice to locate themselves within accessible communities.
The remains visible today reflect the layout characteristic of Dominican houses: a church, cloister and domestic buildings arranged to serve both the spiritual life of the friars and their engagement with local people. The friary's survival to the present day, marked and protected by Cadw, preserves evidence of medieval religious life and architectural practice in Wales. Its stone buildings, constructed from materials sourced near the site, are anchored in the same ancient bedrock that shaped the Welsh landscape in which the friars made their home.
Dominican Friary is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM173. View the official record →
Dominican Friary is a medieval friary in Wales protected by Cadw under reference GM173.
Dominican Friary dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a friary. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dominican Friary is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM173.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ely Tidal Harbour Coal Staithe Number One (3.9 km), Penarth Churchyard Cross (Now in St Augustine's Church) (4.7 km), Cwm George Camp (5.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Dominican Friary's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Dominican Friary stands on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.