Priory House in Dunstable will be restored - thanks to massive £1.2million funding boost

Repair and restoration work are already underway at Grade II listed Priory House which has a rare 13th Century uncercroft

Priory House – which is Grade II listed and on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register – is to be restored, thanks to a £1.2 million grant from Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

It is the centrepiece project in the Dunstable High Street Heritage Action Zone and its undercroft – a stone-lined and vaulted medieval cellar used for storage – is a rare and almost complete example of its kind from the 13th Century.

But the ancient edifice is suffering from environmental and structural issues, including excess dampness and flooding, with movement and cracking in the stonework.

Work begins to restore Priory House's undercroft - a rare example of a stone-lined and vaulted cellar from the 13th Century

The grant will enable a comprehensive scheme of repair and restoration at the Grade II listed building.

Conservation-accredited structural engineers The Morton Partnership are leading a multidisciplinary team of professionals who are working to sensitively repair the undercroft, protecting and retaining as much of the original 13th Century material as possible.

The funding will support further vital work to conserve the medieval vaults, while enabling the tearooms to be back in use at full capacity and the first floor exhibition space to be refreshed and reopened for public events.

Completion is planned for August next year when Priory House will be removed from the Heritage at Risk register and will once again become a vital focus of local community life.

Dunstable's stunning Grade II listed Priory House before work started on its restoration

Dunstable Mayor Cllr Liz Jones said: “I’m thrilled with the generous support from Historic England and the National Heritage Lottery Fund.

"Their contribution of more than £1.2 million for the Priory House restoration project is a monumental step towards preserving our town’s rich history.

"This funding secures the future of a cherished landmark on Dunstable’s High Street.”

Historic England Heritage at Risk surveyor Trudi Hughes said: “We now understand all the issues which have been causing concern over many years – including occasional falls of stone internally, periodic flooding, structural discontinuities in the building fabric, and an increasing inability for the building’s drainage to deal with increased rainfall.

"The archaeological research which has been carried out as part of this project has shone a helpful light on the surviving medieval fabric.”

Morton Partnership spokesperson Sarah Tattersall said: “Conservation works to the medieval undercroft of Priory House have led to a much more detailed understanding of the historic building, alongside the complex structural and environmental demands that have been placed on it.

"We are delighted that the project has received funding from Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for works to repair and conserve the vaults and to address the wider issues affecting the building and site at the centre of Dunstable’s High Street.”

And National Lottery Heritage Fund director for England, Midlands and East Robyn Llewellyn added: “We are delighted to be working with Historic England in supporting Dunstable Town Council with the urgent restoration of this exceptional Grade II* listed building.

"Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re able to support important projects such as the necessary conservation and structural repairs of Priory House, ensuring that heritage is safeguarded for future generations.”