Issue 120 – May 2017
HIDE AND SEEK By Stephen Guy
IT was once known for its terrace Ancient buildings sometimes have secret features created by accident or design in the structure, often deeply entwined with the history of the place. Sometimes rooms or even suites of rooms in rambling stately homes were sealed off for one reason or another. When a family member died their accommodation, and belongings, could become out of bounds for distressed relatives. Castles easily lent themselves to concealment with their massive walls and deep foundations. Prisoners were hidden away in dank underground dungeons. Conwy Castle has a hidden room where the monarch could watch services in the chapel below - a private loo was provided as services could be very long. At Glamis Castle in Scotland it as said a disfigured or disa ed member of the family was kept in a secret room with a solitary
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window. Some rooms, while not exactly secret, may be kept locked because people do not want the contents or purpose of the space revealed. Many years ago I stayed in a Lake District house where I noticed something strange about a a at the top of a ight of stairs. Careful inspection revealed a door that had been wallpapered over. When opened, it led to an empty attic.
Old houses were more suitable for creating concealed areas than modern dwellings. Historic piles often seem to have been built without plans. When the builders reached a certain point they simply constructed a wall to block off voids and spaces. Castles and country houses commonly had secret places for use in time of siege or emergencies. However, it was at the time of religious persecution that the creation of hopefully secure
hiding places became something of a fine art During the 16th and 17th centuries priest holes were devised in Catholic houses at a time when it was illegal for priests to celebrate mass. A priest hole can be seen in the attic at Speke Hall (pictured). In an atmosphere of religious intolerance (echoed to some parts of the world today) anyone converting a Protestant to Catholicism was put to death. Everyone had to attend Church of England services – peop e ere fined if they refused. Priests were publicly hanged for conducting mass. Jesuit Nicholas Owen was a concealment specialist secretly engaged to create hiding places for priests. n Learn more about the history of Liverpool at the Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head, open 10 am to 5 pm every day, admission free.
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