Dunstable
Priory House

Places > Dunstable > Churches and Meeting Houses > Priory Church

This 18th century building stands on the site of the Priory guesthouse and incorporates part of an original 13th century vaulted chamber within. The front of the property dates from the 13th century, making it the oldest secular building in the county.

It was built as a 'hospitium' (guest house) for travellers to Priory Church and stood on the perimeter of its Great Courtyard adjacent to one of two gated entrances. Pilgrims would have been regular guests.

Ownership of the site passed to the Crown in 1539 when the Priory was dissolved and Priory House was leased to private individuals. By 1694, the property was in the ownership of the Crawley family. Three subsequent generations of the Crawleys owned the house and, as medical practitioners, made use of it as a private asylum for the mentally ill. In 1743, the family greatly expanded the house and built a two storey brick building on what is now the car park. It seems likely that this extension was to house their patients. A magnificent mahogany staircase and a fine marble fireplace were added and these have survived to the present day.

In 1859, Priory House was purchased by Munt and Brown, straw hat manufacturers. Part of the house itself was used as the manager's residence. A third storey was added to the extension for the factory premises. The firm went into liquidation and the house passed to Arthur Munt who demolished the factory but retained part of the front wall, including the outline of two windows which today remain hidden behind a bus shelter.

The property has been in various office uses since 1947. Today it houses Dunstable's Heritage centre.

Sources used :

• Dunstable in detail, by N. C. Benson (Book Castle 1986)
• Revealed : The secrets of Priory House by Richard Walden (Dunstable Gazette 3rd September 2003)

Priory House by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2006

Page last updated: 24th January 2014