winchelsea greyfriars

Dating from 1310, this is the chancel of the franciscan church, which is unusual not only in being apsidal at this time, but in remaining standing at all. Like most friars' churches it had a small central tower, often octagonal, over the north-south passageway that took the place of full transepts, hence the stair turret seen here to the south of the arch . Here everything beyond this eastern crossing arch was used as a church for foreign protestants after the dissolution of the friary, leading to its remaining standing where most friars' churches were destroyed. Little remains of the nave which was designed for preaching : a modern house stands on the site of other buildings.