Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School)
Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School), The College
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1167326
- Date first listed:
- 23-Sept-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School)
- Statutory Address:
- Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School), The College
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-09-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/03854/03
- Rights:
- © Mr Steve Cole. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1167326
- Date first listed:
- 23-Sept-1950
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 19-Jun-1972
- List Entry Name:
- Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School)
- Statutory Address 1:
- Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School), The College
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School), The College
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Cambridgeshire
- District:
- East Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Ely
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 54055 80149
Details
TL 5479
2/9
THE COLLEGE
Prior's House (Boarding House of the Kings School)
(formerly listed as Bishop's House (Priors House))
23.9.50.
GV
I
The Prior's House, now a boarding house of the King's School was largely rebuilt in the early C14 by Prior Crauden (1321-41), above the C12 vaulted undercroft with groined vaults and transverse arches in the northern part and C14 vaults to the south part. The hall was originally connected to the Prior's Study (now demolished) and his private chapel by a gallery. A wing at the north east end was originally the porch to the Prior's Great Hall (Old Hall) which stood to the north of it. The upper storey contained the Audit Chamber. In the C15 a staircase wing was erected at the south east end and in the C17 a building was added adjoining the south east corner of the hall and extending eastwards.
The hall is built mainly of Carr stone rubble with Barnack stone dressings and a considerable amount of C14 brickwork. It has a parapet and string course and is buttresses. On the ground storey there are C14 pointed arched windows with "Decorated" tracery and on the first storey there are early C16 square windows with three and four arched lights. Roof tiled, with arched braces to the principals and arched windbraces.
The interior has Norman and medieval features including a particularly fine early C14 fireplace on the north west side of the Hall (once in Prior Crauden's study), with a sloping overmantel, castellated frieze and corner turrets, carried on carved corbels with heads.
The Great Hall (Bishop's residence), the Queen's Hall (Headmaster's House Wall to the garden of the Bishop's residence, Guest Quarters of the Monastery, Walls to the Guest Quarters of the Monastery and Ely Porta, Prior's House (Boarding House of the King's School) Prior Crauden's Chapel, Walls to the garden of the Prior's House, Ely Porta, Barn and Storehouse of the Monastery and Wall to the Barn and Storehouse form a group with Bishop's Palace, Walls to the Bishop's Palace, and Nos 2 to 8 (consec) and No 9 (stables to Bishop's Palace), The Gallery. See also general group description under the Cathedral of The Holy Trinity.
Listing NGR: TL5405580149
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 48700
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 28-Jun-2026 at 15:55:17.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.