History and Natural Beauty on a Changing Coastline: Greyfriars, Dunwich 05 06 26

This early morning walk takes in the ruins of Greyfriars Friary and grounds. The friary is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and was built by Franciscan monks in the late 1200s. The ruins seen in the footage are believed to be those of the southern refectory wing of the monastery. The gate through which I entered the site was built in the late 14th/early 15th century. Dunwich is full of history - most evidence of which has tumbled into the sea due to coastal erosion. What is now a small coastal village was a capital of the Eastern Angles in Anglo Saxon times, and became a thriving medieval port. A single gravestone features in the walk. This is the last remaining grave of All Saints Churchyard. All Saints was the last surviving of the eight parish churches of Dunwich. It was finally claimed by the see between 1904 and 1920. If you like history, you'll love Dunwich. Greyfriars Friary is free to enter, but there is a donation box by the entrance (donations are clearly put to good use - this is a well-maintained site). Parking can be found at Dunwich Beach car park IP17 3EN. The friary is just a three minute walk from the car park. The entrance is at What3Words location: album.worms.seaweed