History of Prior Park College
Extract from 'The Phoenix' - a history of Prior Park written by Father Peter Cornwell, former College Chaplain.
"Prior Park College was born in the nineteenth century, the dream of a Benedictine Bishop, Peter Augustine Baines. He believed that as the Catholic Church re-emerged from years of persecution it needed educated priests and an educated laity. It was a wildly ambitious scheme, embracing not just a school but a seminary and university as well, housed in the glorious Palladian Mansion built by Ralph Allen overlooking Bath"
| 1735 | The foundations for the Mansion and the wings were laid |
| 1737 | The west wing (St Paul's) and part of the Mansion were completed |
| 1743 | The Prior Park buildings were finished |
| 1764 | Ralph Allen died at Prior Park |
| 1829 | The Prior Park Estate (over 168 acres) was purchased by Bishop Baines for £22,000 |
| 1836 | The interior of the mansion was destroyed by fire |
| 1830 | Prior Park College opened as a school for the first time |
| 1844 | Foundation stone of the College Chapel was laid by Bishop Baggs |
| 1856 | The College effects were auctioned off and the College closed down |
| 1867 | Pupils and Staff of Catholic Grammar School, Clifton moved to Bath and Prior Park College reopened |
| 1882 | College Chapel solemnly opened for divine service |
| 1889 | The swimming bath was formerly opened by Bishop Clifford |
| 1895 | The College was taken over by the Christian Brothers on a 7 year lease |
| 1902 | The Christian Brothers left |
| 1904 | Prior Park closed down again |
| 1921 | The buildings and 53 acres were purchased by the Christian Brothers |
| 1924 | Boarders and some staff from St Brendan's were transferred to Bath and Prior Park re-opened |
| 1929 | The Prior Park Association was re-founded |
| 1932 | The organ gallery was added to the College Chapel |
| 1940 | The new school block was completed and requisitioned by the Admiralty |
| 1942 | St Paul's was badly damaged by bombs |
| 1946 | Prior Park Preparatory School was founded at Cricklade |
| 1949 | Formation of the College Contingent of the Combined Cadet Force |
| 1957-59 | The Science School was built with a grant from Industrial Fund for the Advancement of Science Teaching |
| 1965 | New VIth form block linking Science School and School Block was completed |
| 1965 | The Priory was purchased for eventual school use |
| 1966 | Restoration of Mansion steps and balustrade was completed |
| 1973 | An all-weather hockey pitch was completed |
| 1974 | The Br. Burke Memorial Pavilion was completed |
| 1981 | Christian brothers left the College and lay administration took over the administration |
| 1983 | Girls joined the College |
| 1991 | The second catastrophic fire took hold of the Mansion and caused massive destruction |
1993 1994 |
Julian Slade Theatre opens Victorian Ball Court restored All weather Astro pitch completed |
| 1995 | Mansion reopens after major rebuild completed |
| 2007 | Mackintosh Dance Studio opens |
| 2009 | The addition of Baines House (11-13yr olds) |
| 2014 | The Creative Design Centre opens in St Peter's |
| 2015 | Bury Sports Centre opens Restoration of the Mansion steps - lower flight |
2016 2017 |
Prior Park Schools, Gibraltar opens Prior Park Preparatory School is sold to Wishford Group |
| 2020 | 23 March LOCKDOWN and closure due to the Covid-19 Pandemic world crisis |