Burfield Priory, or, The Priory, was an enormous pile and the home of several members of the Lucas and Whidborne families.

There is some information on it in a book called The Henleaze Book: Fascinating local history information, by Veronica Bowerman.  The following is a transcription of the pages on The Priory:

This interesting property was situated next to Burfield House and marked on the 1841 Tithe Map.  It was demolished to make way for Priory Court Road.

Occupants/Owners include the following:

– 1849 William Boyd

– 1871 James Lucas, age 45, and three maiden sisters in their fifties

– 1880 Misses Lucas

– 1895 Rev. G.F. Whidbourne. (The 1900 map of the area suggests that he owned a large area of land as far as the side of Henleaze Road looking north.)

In the 1920s large garden parties were held at the Priory with crowds of people and music that went on into the night, keeping the Red Maids’ next door awake in their dormitories.  The girls were thrilled to hear the rich contralto voice of Dame Clara Butt on one occasion singing Land of Hope and Glory followed by the National Anthem.

After William Henry Butler, J.P., died the Priory Estate was auctioned on 10 March 1938 by Lalonde Bros & Parham at the Grand Hotel, Bristol.  There were 17 acres (seven hectares) containing a Gothic design mansion, two lodges, farm buildings, lawns, pastures and well-timbered grounds.

A summary of the accommodation arranged on three floors in the Mansion was: Gothic entrance hall, 12 bedrooms and dressing rooms, four reception rooms, three bathrooms, kitchens, servants’ hall, and usual offices.  In 1938 the property was fitted with electric light, central heating and hot water circulation from independent boilers.  A spiral staircase from the second floor led to a lookout tower on the south side.

Red Maids’ School and its grounds were adjoining this estate but their Governors were not prepared to buy the whole of the Priory estate and then sell off what they did not need.  The Priory estate was subsequently sold off for [pounds]18,600 to a local builder in 1938.  The school found that they were then unable to buy part of the land for a playing field or even the belt of trees alongside their new drive.  The Priory and its buildings were demolished and replaced by houses in the new roads Priory Avenue and Priory Court Road.