Whitefriars, London facts for kids

Whitefriars is a special area in the City of London. It's part of a bigger section called Farringdon Without.

This place got its name because it used to be home to a Carmelite monastery until the year 1540. The Carmelites were also known as the "White Friars."

The Story of Whitefriars and the White Friars

The area we call Whitefriars today has a long and interesting past. It was once the site of a very old religious building.

What Was Whitefriars Like in the Past?

We know that a religious group was living here as early as 1253. Today, only a hidden underground room, called a crypt, is left. This crypt was part of a large priory built in the late 1300s.

This priory belonged to the Carmelite order. People often called them the "White Friars" because they wore white cloaks for important events.

Where Was the Priory Located?

When the priory was at its busiest, it covered a large area. It stretched from Fleet Street all the way down to the River Thames. To its west was a place called the Temple, and to its east was Water Lane, which is now called Whitefriars Street.

Inside the priory grounds, there was a church, quiet courtyards called cloisters, a garden, and a cemetery.

The official symbol of the Carmelite order.

Who Were the Carmelites?

The Carmelite order started a very long time ago, in 1150. Their first home was on Mount Carmel, a mountain in what is now Israel.

Mount Carmel, where the Carmelite order began.

In 1238, the Carmelites had to leave Mount Carmel. They were escaping from a group called the Saracens. Some Carmelites found help from Richard, Earl of Cornwall. He was the brother of King Henry III of England.

Richard helped them travel to England. In 1253, the Carmelites built a church on Fleet Street in London. About a hundred years later, they built an even bigger church in its place.