Austin Friars Tower/Tower of the Manors, City Road

The tower is situated on the north side of the east end of the C17th brick built Holy Jesus Hospital. It has been dated to the second half of the C16th and the whole building range is located on the site of a former Augustinian Friary. The tower consists of four walls standing complete to three storeys in height. It incorporates in its south wall part of the north wall of the choir of the friary church and a pointed arch window. Inside, a fine medieval effigy of a knight was found during excavations. Pevsner calls it "The Tower of the Manors" (the Manors was a freehold which belonged to the town) {1-2}. Part of the Austin Friary. C13 and C16. Large sandstone blocks. 3 storeys, one bay. West elevation has double-chamfered 2-centred arch with drip mould; renewed door; irregular fenestration: small square windows on each floor. Interior has stone newel stair; first floor south wall has double-chamfered 2-centred-arched window with tracery removed. Exterior door of studded planks now re-used in ground floor. Ground floor contains medieval cross-slab and effigy of knight in armour found during excavation prior to restoration {3}. McCombie - often misnamed Austin Friars' Tower, but is mostly later 16th century. Its south wall incorporates a pointed window arch of the friary church choir's north wall. Excavation showed that the lower part of the west wall was a surviving fragment of the friary sacristy. The tower's other walls could only have been built after the Dissolution. A fine medieval effigy of a knight was found during the excavation and is now in the Discovery Museum.