Arundel Priory facts for kids

The Priory of St Nicholas was a religious building in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was started in 1102 by Roger de Montgomery, who was an earl. A monk named Gratian became its first leader. Later, in 1269, the priory even offered a place for a teacher, Master William de Wedon, to live and run a school.

Arundel College: A New Beginning

The Priory of St Nicholas closed down in 1380. Around the same time, a new place called the College of the Holy Trinity was built, probably on the same spot. Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel created this college. Its main purpose was to help twenty older, poor men in the area. It also aimed to provide education.

College Buildings and Design

The buildings of the college looked very similar to the new parish church built at the same time. The Fitzalan Chapel of the church formed the college's north side. There were also buildings on the east, south, and west sides, each with two floors. The east building was beyond the chapel, and the west building lined up with the church's south side.

Changes Over Time

In 1544, Arundel College was given to the Crown (the King or Queen). The Crown then sold it back to the Earl of Arundel for a large sum of money. Since then, it has stayed with the Howard family. For almost 300 years, much of the college lay in ruins. Many parts were torn down, and more damage happened during the English Civil War in the 1600s.

St Wilfrid's Priory: A School and Home

Over the years, the buildings were changed and rebuilt many times. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, they became an agent's house, a laundry, and then a Catholic chapel. A chaplain's home was also attached. Between 1804 and 1815, the building was rebuilt in a Gothic style. During this time, it was used as a private school.

A Convent and School

More restoration work happened in the mid-1800s. In 1861, the south-east part of the building became a convent. It was known as St Wilfrid’s Priory and stayed that way until the 1950s. Around the same time, a special chapel was built for Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk, who passed away in 1860. This chapel changed how the north side of the courtyard looked.

Life at the School

The Priory was run as a school by Catholic nuns from the Franciscan Order. They ran it for the Duke of Norfolk. The school welcomed young children from different backgrounds. It also taught the Duke's four daughters in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Classes were held in a large room on the first floor. There were never more than 28 students at one time.

Gymnastics classes took place outside the priory grounds. The nuns were not set up to teach these classes. A male teacher came in to lead these sessions. The children would walk through a gate into the castle grounds. They went to a room on the ground floor, just off the castle courtyard. Classes were held there weekly. On rare summer days, children could even swim in the Duke's swimming pool. Sometimes, they played ball games on the Duke's famous cricket pitch in the castle park.

Later Uses of the Buildings

From about 1961 to 1974, the college buildings were used as a children's home. It housed about 30 children. After 1976, the south part and some of the east part became a care home. The north-east corner was divided into flats for older people. Both of these were run by the Order of Knights of Malta Homes Trust. Today, they are run by its newer charity, the Order of St John Care Trust.