A HISTORIC house built in the shadow of Christchurch Priory by a former Bank of England governor would lose a lot of interest if it were to be stripped of an architectural asset.

So says Christchurch Local History Society which is objecting to a bid by the Trustees of Priory House to remove a belvedere turret window from the roof of the 250-year-old building.

The house was built as the retirement home of Swedish merchant and one time Bank of England chief Gustavus Brander in 1763 on the site of the Priory's mediaeval monastic cloisters, destroyed following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

Bought by public subscription in 1934, Priory House is now run by a trust and used for an increasing variety of church, cultural and community purposes.

Now the trustees want to remodel and refurbish a disused servants quarters at the eastern end of the building to provide a second-floor flat for a resident caretaker needed to provide security and access to Priory House at evenings and weekends.

Plans drawn up by church architect Columba Cook include replacing the belvedere with a dormer window to allow internal alterations to relocate the existing staircase and create extra living space for the flat.

Believed to have been added to Priory House as part of an early 19th century extension of the original Georgian house, the octagonal wooden belvedere is in poor condition and has been condemned as "a clumsy and intrusive addition" by English Heritage experts.

But leading local historian and former mayor of Christchurch Michael Hodges says the belvedere is an important feature of the building and provides a likely link with the borough's smuggling heritage.

Mr Hodges thinks the watchtower giving views over Christchurch Harbour was used by Brander or his successors to keep an eye on contraband cargoes they had financed.

"We don't know that Brander was involved in smuggling but it is no coincidence that his house was built between the harbour and the Priory."

He added: "I hope they will keep the belvedere because it is part and parcel of the heritage of the town."