a previous owner tells a different story (from the article's comments): " We lived there 1981-96! The 'cross' is some rotten wood left over from 1986 building restoration that we didn't clear out... The house was a public house "The Barley Mow" late 1800s-early 1900s, and we thought the raised cellar sides are the stillages for the barrels. Gas lighting was added after construction, so there would have been ledges for oil lamps in the cellar.
We reckoned the house was constructed in the mining and industrial boom early 1800s, rather later than Catholic persecution. The front door used to lead into a hallway, with the door and stairs down to the cellar straight ahead - no apparent attempt to conceal. There are footings for an earlier, smaller building under the dining room, now covered with concrete - could have been anything.
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We lived there 1981-96! The 'cross' is some rotten wood left over from 1986 building restoration that we didn't clear out... The house was a public house "The Barley Mow" late 1800s-early 1900s, and we thought the raised cellar sides are the stillages for the barrels. Gas lighting was added after construction, so there would have been ledges for oil lamps in the cellar.
We reckoned the house was constructed in the mining and industrial boom early 1800s, rather later than Catholic persecution. The front door used to lead into a hallway, with the door and stairs down to the cellar straight ahead - no apparent attempt to conceal. There are footings for an earlier, smaller building under the dining room, now covered with concrete - could have been anything.
But we like the way this story could run :-)
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