The Old Priory

SE 04 NW KILDWICK PRIEST BANK (east side)

1/25 The Old Priory (formerly listed as Priests Bank Top 10.9.54 and Priests Bank

GV II

Two cottages, now one house. Mid C17, restored 1899, the two buildings united and restored 1953 by W. Olivant. Coursed gritstone rubble, graduated stone slate roofs. Quoins. The main building, of 2 storeys and 3 bays (formerly Priests Bank Top), has a C20 recessed entrance bay to right, linking it to the gable end of the former Priests Bank Cottage, also of 2 storeys and 3 bays. Main building: central single-storey porch, the doorway with chamfered quoins reduced to a window C20; bulbous kneelers and gable coping; a reset stone spout projects above the lintel. Flanking 2- light chamfered mullion windows, the sills lowered and openings altered C19. First floor: small 3-light recessed chamfered mullion window of unusual form; the 3 lights have curved heads, the taller central light having a lancet form, the hoodmould above is ogee-curved. Below the window a projecting string terminates above projecting stone spouts. External stack to left gable. Rear: two 2-light windows, blocked, all possibly reset; C20 extension to left (not of special interest). Left return: massive stepped external stack with stone spouts at roof level, the top of the shaft rebuilt; small chamfered first-floor window at eaves level, right. Inserted mullion windows to right return. Interior: large arched fireplace to left gable end with separate voussoirs. Former cottage, south face: half-glazed C20 door to right of centre in C19 chamfered surround; flanking 4-light recessed chamfered mullion windows to ground floor; similar 3-light windows to first floor. Large C19 single-light window to ground floor, left. Stone gutter brackets; end stack to left, and to right to rear of ridge. Left return: plaque with raised lettering, "Restored AD 1899 R.H.F.W.W." The site of the house is important, at the junction of the road from the grange of Bolton Abbey (q.v.) where it divides to lead to the church (down Priests Bank) or Kildwick Hall (q.q.v). The very extensive 1899 restoration included alterations to the main building's ground-floor windows (possibly their removal to the first floor of the cottage) and alterations to the central bay; the stone spouts are similar to those on the Kildwick Hall pavilion (q.v.) but here do not serve any function (apart from those on the chimney stack). The dormer window is not a vernacular feature and was possibly built in imitation of those at Kildwick Hall (q.v.). The initials are those of Richard Henry Francis Wharton Wilson, then owner of Kildwick Hall.

Listing NGR: SE0146846202