Venue Description

Blackfriars Priory, with its magnificent timbered roof, is the most complete example of a medieval Dominican Priory in Britain. The original medieval cloister, completed in 1239, includes the scriptorium where the friars were trained for their preaching mission over 750 years ago. The original study cells or carrels are housed in the oldest surviving library building in the country. Following renovations, the beautiful historic fabric has been retained and you can now experience the beauty of the site including the private courtyard garden, the magnificent scale of the original scissor-braced roof and the Scriptorium, the oldest and most well preserved, medieval library in Britain. The site is available for use for weddings, parties, educational activities, as well as being open to the public on Sundays from 10am - 3pm. With various spaces around the site and a beautifully enclosed traditional cloister garden, capacities range from 10 people in one of the smaller rooms, to 240 in the main North Range.

Accessibility

We have a small curb at our main entrance but have a temporary ramp available when we are open to the public. There is a loose stone path connecting the path between the entrance and the main part of the venue. The North Range is an open plan space with two levels. The upper level is accessible by five steps or a platform lift. The East Range has three floors. The ground floor has a wooden ramp built through to each room and also leads to a small courtyard and the upper level of the North Range. The first and second floor can be accessed via a platform lift. The ground floor of the Scriptorium is fully accessible, however, the first floor is accessible by stairs only. An accessible toilet is located on the first floor in the East Range. Outside our main entrance, Ladybellegate Street car park has 7 accessible bays. For full accessibility website and our accessibility guides, please visit: http://www.gloucesterblackfriars.co.uk/accessibility

Accessibility Guide

Accessibility Guide Link: http://www.gloucesterblackfriars.co.uk/accessibility

Toilets

The accessible toilet is located on the first floor of the East Range, which can be reached via five steps or our platform lift. The cubicle door width is 970mm. The cubicle is set out in a corner layout in the top left-hand corner of the room as you enter. The cubicles dimensions are 2200mm deep by 1600mm wide. All cubicles are fitted with Dementia Friendly toilet seats.

Staff

All venue staff are given basic accessibility training and prepped on the accessible features of the venue to assist customers during their visit.

Assistance dog facilities

Assistance dog exercise facilities

The venue has open spaces around the venue, including our Cloister Garden.

Other assistance dog facilities

We offer water bowls for assistance dogs to use when needing a drink. Unfortunately, given the status of the grounds at Blackfriars Priory, we ask that Assistance Dogs are taken offsite when needing to go to the toilet.