Prior Park College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prior Park College |
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| Address | |
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Ralph Allen Drive
, , BA2 5AH
England
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| Coordinates | 51°21′52″N 2°20′35″W / 51.3644°N 2.3431°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school Independent school Day, full boarding & weekly boarding school |
| Motto | Latin: Deo Duce Deo Luce (God our Guide, God our Light) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christianity |
| Established | 1830 |
| Founder | Congregation of Christian Brothers |
| Department for Education URN | 109347 Tables |
| Chair | A M H King |
| Headmaster | Ben Horan |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 624 |
| Houses |
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| Colour(s) | Navy and Cyan |
| Publication | Prior Knowledge |
| Alumni | Old Priorites |
Prior Park College is a school in Bath, England. It welcomes both boys and girls. Students can attend as day pupils or live at the school as boarders.
The main building of the college is called Prior Park. It sits on a hill and offers great views of the city. This building is very old and important, listed as a Grade I building. Next to the school is the Prior Park Landscape Garden. This beautiful garden, which covers about 57 acres, was given to the National Trust.
Prior Park College is part of a larger group called Prior Park Schools. This group also includes the Paragon Junior School in Bath and Prior Park School Gibraltar.
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About Prior Park College
Prior Park College offers education for students aged 11 to 18. It was started in 1830 by Bishop Baines. He wanted it to be England's first Catholic university. It began as a seminary, which is a school for training priests.
For many years, the school had strong ties to the Catholic Church. Students had to study Religious Education until 2024. At that time, fewer students were Catholic, so the school is now described as a Christian school.
Ben Horan has been the headmaster of Prior Park College since 2019. He leads the school and helps guide its students.
Amazing Architecture
The main building of Prior Park College is a grand mansion. It was designed by John Wood, the Elder in 1742. He built it for Ralph Allen, who wanted a house that could see all of Bath and be seen by all of Bath. This mansion is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically.
Inside one part of the mansion is a special chapel. It is called the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows. This chapel was built in 1863 and is also a Grade I listed building. There is another chapel in the original house too.
Beautiful Gardens
The Prior Park Landscape Garden is a stunning area next to the college. It was created between 1734 and 1744. Ralph Allen got advice from his friend Alexander Pope when planning the first part of the garden.
A famous Palladian bridge and a lake were added in 1755. Later, in the 1760s, Capability Brown might have helped design the green slopes leading from the house to the lake. Today, the National Trust owns and cares for this beautiful garden.
School History
In 1828, Bishop Baines bought the mansion for £22,000. He turned it into a seminary called the Sacred Heart College. The building was updated in 1834. However, a fire in 1836 caused a lot of damage. The repairs cost so much that the seminary had to close in 1856.
Later, Bishop Clifford bought the estate. He started a Catholic grammar school there. The chapel was designed in 1844 but finished in 1863. It is known for its impressive interior.
The grammar school closed in 1904. The army used the estate during the First World War. In 1924, the Christian Brothers started a boys' boarding school. This school became Prior Park College, which still uses the main house today. In 1993, a large part of the park was bought by the National Trust and has been restored.
The mansion has caught fire twice. The 1836 fire left some marks on the stone. A more serious fire in 1991 destroyed most of the inside of the building. Rebuilding took four years and cost about £6 million. While the main building was being fixed, the school operated in other parts of the estate.
Modern Facilities
Prior Park College has many great facilities for its students. They lease a field called The Monument Field from the National Trust.
Since 2000, the school has added many new features. These include an indoor swimming pool and a modern Information and communications technology (ICT) centre. They also built new classrooms, including the Mackintosh Dance Studio and Theatre in 2006. A Design Centre opened in 2016, and the Bury Sports Centre opened in 2015. All the sports facilities are right on the school grounds.
Former Junior School
In 1946, a junior school linked to Prior Park College opened in Cricklade, Wiltshire. It was first a boarding school for boys. In the 1970s, day boys were also allowed to attend. Later, girls were admitted too.
Since September 2017, this junior school is no longer part of the Prior Park Schools group. Its name changed to Cricklade Manor Prep. It still has strong connections with Prior Park College.
Notable Alumni
Many interesting people have studied at Prior Park College. They are often called "Old Priorites." Here are a few:
- Stephen Bowman, a member of the band Blake.
- Damian Cronin, a rugby player for Bath and Scotland.
- Billy Drake, a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain.
- Adam "Nolly" Getgood, a guitarist.
- Sir Ken Macdonald, who used to be the Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales.
- Sir Cameron Mackintosh, a famous theatre producer.
- Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, a Cardinal in the Catholic Church.
- Michael Please, an animator who won a BAFTA award.
- Hugh Scully, a broadcaster.
