Town set to buy historic hall

The building has been vacant for three years

A medieval guesthouse for pilgrims could soon be opened to the public if a council goes ahead with plans to buy it.

Councillors in Dunstable are to decide on Monday whether to approve committee recommendations to raise council tax next year to help pay for Priory House.

The Georgian building on High Street North incorporates the remains of the 13th Century "hospitium" run by the nearby priory, complete with the original fan-vaulted ceiling.

The hospitium - believed to be one of the oldest buildings in the county - used to be an important stop on the pilgrim route down to Canterbury or across to the Holy Lands.

The hospitium was built in the early 1200s

But in the last half-century, Priory House has housed only offices - and has been vacant for the past three years.

It went on the market before Christmas with a guide price of £700,000.

Now Dunstable Town Council is planning a one-off council tax rise next year to raise more than £100,000 - much of which would go towards buying the building.

It hopes the remainder would come from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Richard Walden, Dunstable's town clerk, said public interest in the building grew when it was opened up in recent years for the town's Tudor Days.

"We've had an incredible response from the local community urging us to buy it."