The Franciscan or Grey Friars arrived at Norwich in 1226, and were established on a site given them by John de Hastingford, between the churches of St. Cuthbert and St. Vedast in Conisford. They gradually increased in numbers, until, sixty years after their arrival, it was decided to build a large church with suitable conventual buildings. As their rule prohibited them accepting any fresh grants of lands or tenements save those that adjoined their house for purposes of extension, it became necessary, in this as in so many other cases, to obtain sanction for closing intervening thoroughfares.
The Friars Minor of Norwich therefore obtained leave in 1285 to close a lane, 211 feet by 12 feet, adjoining their area on the south side, for the enlargement of their close. In 1292 the Franciscans received numerous grants of small parcels of land in the city from no fewer than nineteen benefactors, among whom were included the prior and convent of Norwich, the prior of St. Faith's, and the abbot and convent of Holm. In 1297, they obtained leave to close a lane on the north side of their plot, 100½ feet long by 10 feet broad, for the enlargement of their dwelling. Three Norwich messuages, the respective gifts of the prior of Walsingham, Hugh de Rokeland, and Roger le Mareschal, were bestowed on the friars in 1299.
Having secured these considerable extensions, the Franciscans set about building a new church on a grand scale. The dimensions, as given in two places by William of Worcester, are somewhat contradictory; but it is clear that the nave was 105 feet in length, and that the cloister on the north side of the nave was a square of its full length.
There were three gilds in connexion with this church, namely, those of Our Lady, of St. John the Evangelist, and of St. Barbara.
Kirkpatrick and Blomefield give long lists extending from 1330 to 1529 of those who made small bequests to this house, and who were buried in the church. As an example of the more important of these testamentary gifts, that of Roger Aylmer, esquire, in 1492, may be cited: 'To the Warden and Convent of the Fryers Mynors, to the amending of their bokys and vestiments, 46s. 8d.; and I will that iche of the four fryers that shall here my body to the church of the said Fryers Minors have for his labor 20d.; also to the repair of the said church, to praye for my sowle and say a solempn mass yearly for four yeres 8 li; and that Fryer John Fyssher, of the said convent, be my prest, and go to the court of Rome on pilgrimage, and say mass for my sowle at Seala Celi, and to have 10 marks when he goeth forth, and when he cometh home 40s.'
When arrangements were in active progress in the latter half of the year 1538 for the suppression of the friars, the Duke of Norfolk interceded with Cromwell to obtain the king's sanction for the securing to him of the Grey Friars. Writing to Cromwell on 21 September, the duke stated he had intended to ride into Norwich on the previous day to take the surrender of the Grey Friars, but was ill, and so sent his son Surrey and others to act for him. In a later letter the duke describes these friars as ' very poor wretches,' and stated that he gave them 40s. apiece to procure secular dress.
The site, church, house, and all the possessions of the Grey Friars of Norwich were formally granted to the Duke of Norfolk by the crown on 12 March, 1539.