The Priory House Restoration project commenced in September 2022 as part of the Dunstable High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ). It is continuing with two Heritage At Risk grants and a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) grant. Keep up with the works through photos, and on our social media.
Cogitating gentlemen, Site Meeting Oct 23
Site Meeting in the Undercroft Oct 23
Finalising the repairs to front window
Repairs to the Georgian windows Exhibition Rooms West Front
Repairs to the Georgian windows on the front elevation
Decayed timbers exposed for repair
Archaeologist and paint expert looking at the historic paint schemes at Priory House
In The Undercroft
Historic England displays in Priory Gardens
Historic England at Around the World Featuring Dunstable Festival of Archaeology
In the Undercroft wall 2E
HSHAZ stall at St George’s Day 2023
In the Undercroft
Investigations in the Exhibition Galleries
In the Undercroft
Looking at samples
Investigations in the Exhibition Space
On the scaffolding
Messenger BCR at St Georges 2
Monthly site meeting examining stonework in the Undercroft
Messenger BCR, Clivedon Conservation and the Morton Partnership in Priory Gardens April 2023
Demonstration in Priory Gardens April 2023 by contractors involved in the restoration of Priory House
Messenger BCR, Clivedon Conservation and The Morton Partnership giving demonstrations at St George's Day 2023 in Priory Gardens
Messenger BCR, Clivedon Conservation and the Morton Partnership in Priory Gardens April 2023
Monthly site meeting in the Undercroft
Discussing the options in the Undercroft
Monthly site meeting, looking at the Undercroft
Monthly site meeting, Trudi, Sara and Fred
Removing concrete above the vaults
Organic material found above the vaults
Repair of the vaults looking from above
Removing concrete from the top of the vaults
Repairing the vaults from above
Repairing the Undercroft
Repairing the vault from above
Repairing the vaults working downwards from the Exhibition Galleries
Repairing the vaulting, another view from above
Another view of the vaulting from above
Sarah, the professional lead from The Morton Partnership, playing with plaster in Priory Gardens - April 2023
Sarah, the professional lead from The Morton Partnership at St George's Day
Repairing the vaulting through the floor of the Exhibition Galleries
Side view of the scaffolding and information panels
Scaffolding up at Priory House
Scaffolding at Priory House - Notice we put the flags out!
Stone cut to size with measurements
HSHAZ stall at St George's Day 2023
Repairs to the Georgian windows on the front elevation
Repairs to the Georgian windows Exhibition Rooms West Front
Repairs to Southwest corner
Site Meeting 26 September in the Undercroft
Site meeting 26 September in the exhibition space
Site Meeting 26 September Looking at Repairs
Site Meeting 26 September On the Scaffolding
In the Undercroft
View along scaffolding
Looking into the Undercroft from outside
Stopping in new mouldings
Running new moulds in-situ
Conservation works to stucco key stone
Pinning to string band
Cornice repairs
Pinning to cornice
Scratch coat to string band
Armatures to string band to take scratch coat
Facade works – July 2023
Facade works – July 2023
Facade works – June 2023
Facade works – June 2023
Investigations - removing the flooring in the attic
Removing more of the attic floor for investigation
Facade
Stone cut to size
Repair work Bay 4
Repair work Bay 4
Bay 4 from the exhibition space above
Close up of Bay 4
Owen, during work experience helping with stucco repairs and ashlar render
Owen applying render
Stucco Repairs and ashlar render
Masons marks to stone south west corner.
Recycled stone south west corner.
On the scaffolding
Recycled moulded stone in roof space behind parapet.
Rusticated clunch quoin
A little bit of history
Lead work to cornice and coping.
Undercroft wall (2E) being repaired
Stucco repairs underway
Clay pipe found in infill to bay 4.
Rebuilding bay 4
Exposed extrados of vault
Exposing the stone work
Exposing the stone work
Community Engagement at St George's Day 2023
Casting plaster enrichment activity at St. Georges Day event
Centering support to the vault ribs while work takes places – May 2023
Centering support to the vault ribs while works take place
Trial holes in the floor on the second floor – May 2023
Investigations in the Exhibition space – April 2023
Bay 1 complete – support removed
Last stone to Bay 1 to be fitted
Trimming the web vault 1
Works to web 1b
Stone, cut to size and ready to use
Web 1b above
Vault 1 from above
Preparation work , area above Vault 1
Other side of old repair which had to be removed
Old repair removed, it is a good example of previous repairs!
Materials used - carlite bonding, sand and cement, well haired lime mortar, earth mortar, expanding foam, an oak wedge and a couple of stainless steel screws! Very 13th Century...
Progress on wall 2E
Rebuilding wall E2 with clunch
Starting clunch repairs to wall E2
Preparing wall E2 for rebuilding
Clivedon Conservation trialing stone repair
Repairs to the vaulting in bay 1
Clivedon conservators on site trialing the consolidation of the chalk
Organic brushwood type material found above the vaulting
Building new arch in front of wall 2E
New stone arch cut for E2 wall
Cutting new arch stones
Stones for the new clunch arch
Apex stones to web
Contractors and specialists from Historic England looking at the options for repair
Measured cut and ready to "rock"
Most of the stone is in a very poor condition
The first course in
Sizing the new stones
Taking down the web to vault
Can you see what I see?
Close up of centering to support the vault ribs while work takes place, December 2022
Proposed new stone above wall, December 2022
Wall in very poor condition, December 2022
Centering to support the vault ribs while work takes place, December 2022
Removal of concrete over vault, December 2022
Stone cut into blocks ready for sizing, December 2022
Cutting the stone into blocks, December 2022
Daily Mirror from 30 September 1953 found under floorboards, November 2022
Daily Mirror from 30 September 1953 found under floorboards, November 2022
Men's wristwatch found under floorboards, November 2022
Shopping bag from menswear shop in Number 6 High Street South, found under floorboards, November 2022
Shopping bag from menswear shop in Number 6 High Street South, found under floorboards, November 2022
New Ford Anglia advert 1953 ... £360 !!!
The Undercroft, Priory House meeting, November 2022
The Undercroft, Priory House meeting, November 2022
The Undercroft, Priory House meeting, November 2022
Reviewing samples of Totternhoe stone and chalk for repairs, November 2022.
Reviewing samples of Totternhoe stone and chalk for repairs, November 2022.
Mortar biscuits, prepared with different mixes in order to find a suitable match, November 2022.
Top of the vault exposed from above, ready to carry out repairs, November 2022.
Modern plaster removed to enable the historic walls to dry out, November 2022.
Archaeological recording of the top vaults, November 2022.
Matching the original mortar, following previous testing, November 2022.
Floorboard from the first floor of Priory House, September 2022.
Close up of floorboards in the exhibition room, September 2022.
Lifting the floorboards in the exhibition room at Priory House, September 2022.
Preparing the Undercroft for investigations, September 2022.
Scaffolding goes up on the front of Priory House, 21 September 2022.
Scaffolding goes up on the front of Priory House, 21 September 2022.
View of Priory House form High Street South, before repair works.
Totternhoe clunch (soft limestone) for the repair of the undercroft, in storage, January 2021.
Totternhoe clunch (soft limestone) for the repair of the undercroft, in storage, January 2021.
Stone consultant, Odgers Conservation, inspecting the condition of the stone and taking samples in 2021.
Totternhoe clunch (soft limestone) for the repair of the undercroft, in storage, August 2022.
Totternhoe clunch (soft limestone) for the repair of the undercroft, in storage, August 2022.
Stone cut to size
Stone for repairs in the Undercroft cut to size
Straw hat workshop April 2023
Support structure in the Undercroft
Support structure in the Undercroft
Support structure in the Undercroft2
Overlooking the Croquet Lawn from the scaffolding
View of the ceiling in the Exhibition Galleries
The second floor
The Undercroft
The vault from above
Trial Holes second floor
View of Ashton Square from the scaffolding
View of Ashton Square from the scaffolding, including the Millenium Clock and pavement art by Urban Canvas
View of Ashton Square and The Methodist Church from the scaffolding including pavement art commissioned by the Cultural Consortium
View of Ashton Square from the Scaffolding
Overlooking the Croquet Club playing on the lawn from the scaffolding
View of Priory Gardens with the Priory Church in the background; taken from the scaffolding
View of Priory Gardens and Parkside Flats from the scaffolding
View to Priory Gardens over the roof of Priory House
Work in the Undercroft
Clivedon Conservation, who are carrying out the stone masonry, demonstrating at St George's Day 2023
What does a stone mason work with to create all the details? - A hammer and chisel!
Cliveden Conservation at St Georges Day
Clivedon Conservation working on repairs
Foam arch at St Georges 2023
Fred and Ed on the scaffolding
Hats drying out in the sun...well in the air anyway!
Finished hats will be strung up over Middle Row between The Square and West Street
Hat workshop, Ashton Square
Historic England at Around the World Featuring Dunstable Festival of Archaeology 2023
Historic England at Around the World Featuring Dunstable Festival of Archaeology.
External Repairs
Repairs in the Undercroft
External Repairs
Repairs in the Undercroft
External Repairs
Window Repairs
External works
Windows March 2024
Repairing the windows
External works November 2023
Windows March 2024
Windows March 2024
Windows March 2024
