Bentley Priory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bentley Priory |
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 Bentley Priory in 2008. |
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 Bentley Priory
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| OS grid reference | TQ154933 |
| • Charing Cross | 11 mi (18 km) |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | HA7 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| London Assembly |
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Bentley Priory is a grand old house and deer park located in Stanmore, on the northern edge of Greater London. It's a place with a long and interesting history, starting as a medieval priory and later becoming a famous stately home.
In 1775, a well-known architect named Sir John Soane designed a large mansion called Bentley Priory. Over the years, different owners added to it. It became the final home of Queen Adelaide, who was the wife of King William IV, before she passed away there in 1849.
Later, the building was used as a hotel and then a girls' school. In 1926, the Royal Air Force (RAF) bought it. During World War II, Bentley Priory was super important. It was the main headquarters for RAF Fighter Command, which played a huge role in defending Britain during the Battle of Britain. The RAF continued to use it until 2008.
Today, parts of Bentley Priory have been turned into fancy apartments and new houses. However, a special part of the building is now a museum. It's called the Bentley Priory Museum, and it's dedicated to remembering the brave people who served in the RAF, especially during the Battle of Britain. The beautiful grounds around the priory are now a nature reserve, a protected area for wildlife.
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Bentley Priory's Long History
The name 'Bentley' likely comes from old words meaning 'land cleared of coarse grass'. Even before the Romans, people lived in this area.
Medieval Priory Days
The original Bentley Priory was a small monastery for Augustinian Canons, a type of monk. It was founded around 1171 and was dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. It was under the control of a larger monastery in Canterbury.
Not much is known about the first priory building itself, and no remains of it exist today. It's thought to have been located near a place called Priory House on Clamp Hill. The monks would have held church services in a chapel there.
One old story from 1248 tells of a sad accident where the prior (the head monk) of Bentley died when a hayrick (a large stack of hay) fell on him! By 1535, the monastery had stopped being used.
In 1536, during a time when many monasteries were closed down in England, Bentley Priory and its lands were given to Archbishop Cranmer. Later, they were passed to other owners.
From Priory to Grand House
In 1775, Sir John Soane, a famous architect, designed a new house called Bentley Priory. It was built for a wealthy businessman named James Duberley. This new house was probably built on a higher spot than the old priory, to show off its importance.
In 1788, the house was sold to John Hamilton. He became a Marquess and made many big changes to the house and its park. He hired Sir John Soane again to make the house even more grand and luxurious. The outside of the house you see today largely looks like it did after Soane's work.
The Marquess was a very important person and Bentley Priory became a popular meeting place for famous politicians and writers. People like Pitt, the Duke of Wellington, and poets like Campbell visited. Even Lady Emma Hamilton and the famous actress Mrs Sarah Siddons enjoyed the beautiful surroundings.
Sir Walter Scott, a famous writer, often visited in 1807. He spent a lot of time in a summerhouse on an island in the lake, working on his poem Marmion. The lake is still there today as part of the Bentley Priory Nature Reserve, but it's no longer part of the house's land.
Queen Adelaide's Home
In 1846, Queen Adelaide, who was the widow of King William IV, rented Bentley Priory. She moved in during 1848. By this time, she was quite ill. Special rooms were made for her on the ground floor. Here, she would receive visits from her niece, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert.
Queen Adelaide passed away at Bentley Priory on December 2, 1849, at the age of 57.
After her death, the house was not used much until Sir John Kelk bought the estate in 1863. Sir John was a famous engineer. He made many improvements to the Priory, adding a picture gallery, a library, and a clock tower. He also created a beautiful cedar garden and a deer park.
A Hotel and a School
In 1882, Frederick Gordon, who owned many hotels, bought Bentley Priory. He turned it into a fancy residential hotel. To make it easier for his guests to get there from London, he even had a railway line built from Harrow to Stanmore. This was called the Stanmore branch line. You can still see parts of the old station today.
Even with the railway, the hotel wasn't a big financial success. So, Frederick Gordon and his large family moved into the Priory and lived there until he died in 1908.
After the Gordons, Bentley Priory became a girls' school. It had about 70 boarding students. The school was known for its music program and even had soundproof rooms for pianos. The school did well for several years, but after World War I, it faced money problems and closed its doors for good in 1924.
Bentley Priory and the RAF
In 1926, the Ministry of Defence bought Bentley Priory and some of its land. It became an important base for the Royal Air Force.
During World War II, Bentley Priory became incredibly important as the headquarters of RAF Fighter Command. This was the team that controlled the fighter planes defending Britain during the Battle of Britain. It was a crucial place for planning and directing air battles.
The commander of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, Sir Hugh Dowding, was later given a special title, Baron Dowding of Bentley Priory, because of his heroic work there. After the war, the site continued to be used by the RAF in different roles until it finally closed in 2008.
Bentley Priory Today
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In 2011, developers bought the estate and house. They planned to turn parts of it into luxury homes.
However, in 2013, a special effort was made to turn the historic priory house into a museum. This museum would remember its vital role in the Battle of Britain. The Bentley Priory Museum officially opened in September 2013, with Prince Charles (now King Charles III) attending the opening. It fully opened to the public in January 2014 and is managed by The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust.
The beautiful grounds around the priory are now protected as the Bentley Priory Nature Reserve. It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest, meaning it's a very important place for nature and wildlife.
