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) | Catholic |
| 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 Catholic school in Bath, England. It teaches both boys and girls, and students can live there (boarding) or attend daily (day pupils). The main building, Prior Park, is very old and beautiful. It sits on a hill overlooking the city and is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's historically important. Next to it is a large garden, Prior Park Landscape Garden, which is now looked after by the National Trust.
The school is part of a larger group called Prior Park Schools. This group also runs the Paragon Junior School in Bath and Prior Park School Gibraltar.
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About Prior Park College
Prior Park College started in 1830. It was founded by Bishop Baines, a Benedictine monk, as a special school for training priests. Today, it remains a Catholic school. It welcomes both boys and girls aged 11 to 18. The school teaches in the Catholic tradition, but also respects other faiths.
In 2008, students at Prior Park College achieved excellent A-level exam results. More than one-fifth of all students got three top grades (A's). Also, 77% of students received A and B grades.
In 2009, Giles Mercer retired as head teacher. He had been in charge since 1996. After him, James Murphy-O'Connor became the headmaster. His uncle, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, was a former student at Prior Park. Since 2019, Ben Horan has been the headmaster of the college.
The College Building and Design
The main building of Prior Park College is a grand mansion. It was designed by John Wood, the Elder in 1742. He was asked to build it by Ralph Allen, a famous businessman from Bath. Allen wanted a house that could "see all Bath, and for all Bath to see."
One part of the mansion has a chapel called Our Lady of the Snows. It was built in 1863. This chapel is also a Grade I listed building. There is another chapel in the original house too. The chapel from 1863 is not fully finished. Some of its pillars still look as they did when they were first built.
Prior Park Landscape Garden
The beautiful Prior Park Landscape Garden was created between 1734 and 1744. Ralph Allen got advice from his friend, the poet Alexander Pope, for the first part of the garden.
The famous Palladian bridge and the lake it crosses were added in 1755. The final design of the green slopes near the house was likely planned by Capability Brown. He was a very famous landscape designer in the 1760s. The National Trust now owns and looks after this historic garden.
History of Prior Park
In 1828, Bishop Baines bought the mansion for £22,000. He used it as a school for priests called the Sacred Heart College. The building was updated in 1834. However, a fire in 1836 caused a lot of damage. The cost of repairs led to money problems, and the school closed 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 was inspired by French churches from the 1700s. A famous historian, Pevsner, said it was "without any doubt the most impressive Chapel interior of its date in the county."
The grammar school closed in 1904. The army used the estate during the First World War. Then, different people rented it until 1921. In 1924, the Christian Brothers started a boys' boarding school there. Prior Park College still uses the main house today. In 1993, a large part of the park and gardens became part of the National Trust. They have been carefully restored.
The mansion has caught fire twice. The 1836 fire left marks on some of the stone. A fire in 1991 badly damaged the inside of the building. It cost about £6 million to rebuild, which took four years. The school used other buildings on the property during the repairs.
School Facilities
Prior Park College has many modern facilities for its students. These include an indoor swimming pool and a special centre for IT.
The school has also added new classrooms and activity spaces. These include the Mackintosh Dance Studio and Theatre (built in 2006). There is also a Design Centre (opened in 2016) and the Bury Sports Centre (opened in 2015). All the sports facilities are located right on the school grounds.
Notable Former Students
Many interesting people have studied at Prior Park College. They are often called "Old Priorites." Some of them include:
- Stephen Bowman, a musician from the band Blake.
- Damian Cronin, a rugby player for Bath and Scotland.
- Billy Drake, a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain.
- Sir Ken Macdonald, a former top lawyer for England and Wales.
- Sir Cameron Mackintosh, a famous theatre producer.
- Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, a high-ranking Cardinal in the Catholic Church.
- Hugh Scully, a well-known broadcaster.
