A conservation project at Dunstable’s Grade II listed Priory House has uncovered 800 years of hidden history, including nationally important wall paintings, sealed medieval doorways and protective marks once used to keep evil spirits away. Specialist teams led by HB Archaeology & Conservation Limited, together with structural engineers and building contractors, have been working since 2022 to repair and strengthen the ageing building. The major restoration project is supported by £1,142,730 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £684,312 from Historic England.
The discoveries have also changed what historians know about the building’s past.
Priory House is expected to complete its structural conservation work and fully reopen as a community heritage hub and tourist information centre in early 2027, according to updated plans from Dunstable Town Council. Because the building requires complex conservation work, the local authority said the restoration has taken longer than first expected. The new discoveries are also being included in updated heritage information and educational displays.
The restoration team also recorded apotropaic marks, commonly called “witch marks”, carved into wooden beams and stonework around the building. In a statement published by Dunstable Town Council, the building’s current custodians described their surprise at the discoveries: “When Dunstable Town Council embarked on the repairs to Priory House back in 2022 as current custodians we thought we knew all that we could know about this remarkable building, but it turns out that it was hiding much more than we could ever have imagined,” the council stated. Historic England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund said the historic objects and architectural features found during the project will be kept in place wherever possible.
The symbols include interlocking circles and marks made by burning candles into the surfaces. People who lived in the building believed these signs could protect their homes from witchcraft, fire and harmful spirits. These protective marks were often placed near entrances, including chimney flues, windows and doorways. People believed such points could allow evil forces to enter the home. However, the discoveries have provided important information about how the structure changed over eight centuries. These will help shape what visitors see and learn when the Grade II* listed building reopens.