You are welcome to join the Coventry Society for our Visit to Princethorpe College on Monday 8th July 2013.
Joining Instructions
Monday 8th July 2013
7.00 p.m. – till 9 p.m. approx.
Car Parking: North Car Park – follow signs.
Coffee at the end of the tour.
Introductory short talk before tour on architects and craftsment John Russell, Craven, Hansom, PP Pugin.
Free to Members: £1 for non members.
Donations to Mary’s Meals.
Directions from Coventry:
Follow A45 until junction with A423. Follow road until signs for Princethorpe. The college can be seen from the A423. Take right hand turn onto B4453 and follow this until reaching college entrance, then follow signs for North Car Park.
History of Princethorpe College
Originally a Benedictine “Monastery” for nuns from Montargis near Orleans in France who fled the country in 1792 following persecution in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Initially arriving in Brighton they fell under the patronage of the Prince Regent. They moved to Princethorpe in 1835 establishing St. Mary’s Abbey.
Only the gatehouse existed and the nuns set about building their “monastery” in a style reminiscent of their former home in Montargis.
The original Priory work on the building was by Craven between 1833 – 1835 with additions by Joseph Hansom, 1842 – 43. Later major work was carried out by Peter Paul Pugin (son of Augustus Welby Pugin) with internal fittings by Joseph Pippet and stained glass by John Hansom. The organ was built by James Bins of Leeds.
In 1966 the nuns moved to St. Mary’s Priory at Farnham in Oxfordshire and the site was acquired by St. Bede’s School of Leamington which was reborn as Princethorpe College.
There is more history here:
Join us for what promises to be a really intersting visit.
