Dunstable Priory

In the civil parish of Dunstable.
In the historic county of Bedfordshire (Modern Authority of Bedfordshire, 1974 county of Bedfordshire).

The Augustinian Priory of St Peter was founded by Henry I, Christmas 1131-2. The Priory was dissolved in 1540. Henry VIII ordered the conversion of part of the conventual buildings into a royal residence, but following his death, no further works were carried out, and Queen Mary sold it to Sir Leonard Chamberlain for £300. The conventual church, built during the latter half of C12 and completed in 1220, with one tower rebuilt in C15, was thoroughly restored in 1871. Only the nave of the original church remains. Other extant buildings remain in the Priory House Gateway, where there is C15 stone archway with a smaller gateway on the right. Priory House stands on the site of the Priory Guesthouse and are reputed to contain a C13 vaulted room.

This site has been described as a;
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 35725, 35746)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL01982177

Modern Map from

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from

Good for general location

Air Photo from

1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 359840

Books

Thurley, Simon, 1993, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England (Yale University Press) p50, 56, 57, 118 [plan], 119
James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p22, 38, 40
Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works, vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p75-6

Journal Articles

Hagen, R., 1972, Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal Vol7 p35-6

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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