Austin Friars was founded in 1951 and thousands of pupils have created memories and friendships ever since.

Though the story of Friars began in the early 50s, our Senior School building was originally constructed in 1892 and known as Saint Anna’s House - built as an all-girls convent school by The Order of the Sacred Heart.

The all-girls school closed in 1903 and was re-established as the Chadwick Memorial Industrial School for Roman Catholic Boys (which later closed in 1924).

Parts of the building were used during both World Wars - as a hospital for wounded soldiers during The Great War, and a children’s home during World War II.

In 1925, it was taken over by the Sisters of Nazareth who established Nazareth House - an orphanage for boys and home for the elderly poor. 

Financial struggles were evident and the Sisters wrote to the Bishop of Lancaster to explain their situation. Their letter was passed to Fr O’Driscoll, who bought the building and renamed it as Austin Friars. 

In 1951, the friars of the Order of St Augustine opened Austin Friars with the aim of offering a boarding educational experience for Catholic boys in Cumbria. 

St Monica’s, named after the mother of St Augustine, was established as Austin Friars’ Junior School counterpart. Open to boys and girls, its first cohort of pupils were welcomed through the doors in 1985. 

35 years of Austin Friars being an all-boys school came to an end in 1986 as it converted to a co-educational experience, with the first cohort of girls being admitted that year. 

A lot has evolved since the school first opened nearly 75 years ago, but the teaching of Augustinian values and levels of excellence amongst pupils remain unchanged. 

‘Behind the Sandstone Walls’, a book written by a group of Young Enterprise pupils in 1995, contains a comprehensive history of Austin Friars and includes quotes from former Headmasters and Fathers of the School.