The elizabethan house was built in the 1580s by humphrey pakington. National trust collections at harvington hall art uk. Apr 10, 2015 harvington house still stands, and is the best preserved example of priest holes still extant in britain. Harvington hall priest holes and hides britain explorerbritain. After the gunpowder plot, owen himself was captured at hindlip hall, worcestershire, taken to the tower of london and tortured to death on the rack. He is honoured as a martyr by the catholic church and was canonized by pope paul vi in 1970.
It was originally constructed by a devote catholic, humphrey packington, during the 1580s on the site once occupied by an earlier medieval hall. In addition to the historic holes, a number of elizabethan wallpaintings were uncovered. Harvington hall boasts an exciting and varied events programme, from period reenactments. It is quite a coincidence that your post appeared just as i was enjoying my meagre detective work. Sometimes other building alterations would be made at the same time as the priests holes so as not to arouse suspicion. Photographs of harvington hall, worcestershire, england. The priesthides were built in the time of humphrey pakington, at the end of the 16th century, when it was high treason for a catholic priest to be in england. Four were built around its main staircase, two lead to the attic, one is in a turret, and there may be more that have not been discovered yet oxburgh hall. Harvington hall is famous for its seven hides more than any surviving house. So well hidden were these secret rooms that no priest was ever discovered.
Harvington hall in worcestershire has seven priest holes. Not only does harvington hall have some of the best preserved priest holes hides in britain, it also had a concealed chapel where mass could be held by whichever priest was in the residence at the time. I am currently researching the history of the time and have been learning a lot about priest hides or priest holes. The secret rooms that were custom built to hide your priest. Houses could be searched by priest hunters called pursuivants who would try to catch households unawares in an attempt to capture priests. Harvington hall is recognised as having some of the best surviving examples of these priest holes in britain. Theres even an eavesdropper, which is a small hole under the eaves of the house, allowing servants to listen in on the conversations of people waiting at the front door. Mar 02, 2016 today, many examples of priest holes still exist in historic english manors like harvington hall and naworth castle. Since 1923, harvington hall has belonged to the roman catholic archdiocese of birmingham and is particularly notable for its vestmenthide and seven priest holes, four of which are built around the main staircase and are thought to be the work of nicholas owen. After his final arrest, he was tortured to death by prison authorities in the tower of london. Harvington hall priest hides britain explorerbritain explorer. The hall is situated three miles southeast of kidderminster, about half a mile east of the a450 birmingham to worcester road and about halfamile north of the a448 from kidderminster to bromsgrove. The book is a good read and is available on amazon, by the way. Harvington hall is temporarily closed until further notice.
Read more about harvington hall s history and features. May 05, 2016 harvington hall was built at a time when the pakington family, who were recusants, had to hide their religious practices from agents of the elizabethan government. Royal historys biggest fibs with lucy worsley airs at 9pm on tuesday 18 february. This short guide to the hall has never been printed, but there is a typed copy made by sir benjamin stone in 1896 in birmingham reference library 572391. Harvington hall is near kidderminster in worcestershire and is easily accessible from the m5. Harvington is a moated medieval and elizabethan manorhouse southeast of kidderminster. Harvington hall harvington hall lane, harvington dy10 4lr england. A priest hole is a hiding places for priests built into many of the principal catholic houses of england during the period when catholics were persecuted by law in england. Harvington hall is a beautiful moated manor house with the largest surviving series of priest hides in the country and a rare collection of original elizabethan wall paintings. Harvington hall worcestershire, england atlas obscura. It was there that garnet, owen and oldcorne were all captured in 1606, just after the gunpowder plot. Jul 08, 2009 across the uk there are said to be around a hundred old houses which still have a priest hole.
The priest hole was usually tiny, with no room to stand up or move around. Like the throckmortons, the pakingtons were catholic and harvington hall is famous for its priest holes. Harvington hall lane harvington kidderminster worcestershire dy10 4lr. The old wood planks can still be pulled aside, revealing the cramped spaces. The centre of this operation for worcestershire and the welsh marches was hindlip house, the home of humphreys friend thomas habington, where the jesuit edward oldcorne arrived in 1590. Harvington hall and its remarkable priest hides feature in a bbc four documentary next week. Please check the venues website for the latest details. Many of the rooms still have their original elizabethan wallpaintings and the hall contains the finest series of priest holes anywhere in the country. The priest hides of harvington hall alison williams writing. We are reading polly of primrose hill which features a priest hole and i wanted to find some pictures of existing priest holes to help explain what. Harvington hall is a medieval and elizabethan catholic recusant house, full of priest holes and belonging to the throckmortons of coughton court, warwickshire national trust until 1923.
Sep 08, 2018 a priest hole made by nicholas owen in the library in the harvington hall wikipedia owens priest holes saved many lives during this period of religious turmoil, but he could not save his own. Sep 14, 2015 both priest and worshippers who were discovered by the so called pursuivants agents of queen elizabeth i, were likely to face confiscation of their lands, torture, imprisonment and even execution. Priest holes were built in fireplaces, attics and staircases and were largely constructed between the 1550s and the catholicled gunpowder plot in 1605. Indeed, harvington probably has more secret priests holes than any other house in england. Harvington hall in worcestershire, england, which is today open to the public, is recognized as having some of the finest surviving examples of priest holes in. Below you will find downloadable documents with lots of information to help with the visit, including ideas for pre and post visits, details about people significant to the halls history and relevant illustrations of life in a tudor house. My husband has long been fascinated by historic houses with priestholes, so we had to visit harvington hall, and were so glad that we had made the effort, all the staff that we encountered on our visit, were so friendly and helpful. There are four main priest holes, all of which are located near the central staircase and are believed to have been created by nicholas owen aka little john a jesuit master builder who was active from. Harvington hall has belonged to the roman catholic archdiocese of birmingham and is particularly notable for its vestmenthide and seven priest holes, four. Harvington hall is known for having more priest holes than any house in england. Many of the rooms still have their original elizabethan wallpaintings and the hall contains the finest series of priest hides anywhere in the country. Apart from being an interesting elizabethan house in its own right, it is known as the house with the most priest holes. Harvington hall and the throckmortons of coughton our. In 1605, owens was starved out of one of his priest hides at hindlip hall during a twelveday search by priest hunters.
Harvington hall in worcestershire has seven priest holes throughout the house, including access through the main staircase, panelling, and a false fireplace. Jun 23, 2011 harvington is a moated medieval and elizabethan manorhouse southeast of kidderminster. Harvington hall, harvington, kidderminster, worcestershire dy10 4lr. A priest hole in the staircase made by nicholas owen in a 16thcentury manorhouse, harvington hall, worcestershire, uk. Visitors who dont suffer from claustrophobia and who are. Many of these hides can still be seen across the country but harvington has the finest set of hides remaining anywhere. Harvington hall is an elizabethan manor house built on a triangular island bordered by a moat on two sides and a lake to the north. The false fireplace in the marble room led to two hides in the attics. Harvington hall near kidderminster in worcestershire has the largest collection of priest holes in the uk. Originally built in the 0s and developed magnificently in the late 1500s, harvington hall brings to life the fascinating history of the survival of roman catholic families and clergymen during the reformation of the late sixteenth century.
Due to the ingenuity of his craftsmanship, some may still be undiscovered. Top 5 priest holes of england britain magazine the. Harvington hall has belonged to the roman catholic archdiocese of birmingham and is particularly notable for its vestmenthide and seven priestholes, four. Two steps lead up from the nursery to the chapel, which is decorated with a late 17th century design of red vines, lilies and. Built by the catholic norris family during turbulent times, speke hall has several tudor security features including priest and spy holes. A moated medieval and elizabethan manor house containing the finest series of priest hides anywhere in the country. Several of these hides can be seen by visitors to the hall today. Harvington house still stands, and is the best preserved example of priest holes still extant in britain. It was for this reason that many houses had hides or priest holes. We finished off our day in the moathouse restaurant for light lunch. Haunted tudor mansion has 100ft great hall, a moat, its own arboretum.
Due to limited capacity, we regret that we cannot take tea room bookings on bank holidays and event weekends. They were built at a time when it was an act of high treason to shelter. Harvington hall boasts the largest surviving collection of priests hiding places. Harvington hall is an ideal place for children to explore tudor life and times, as well as being a house of significant local history. For all other bookings, please call on 01562 777846. Harvington hall is a moated medieval and elizabethan manor house in the hamlet of harvington in the civil parish of chaddesley corbett, southeast of kidderminster in the english county of worcestershire. Still owned by the catholic church, harvington hall contains several secret hiding places created by mastermind nicholas owen, a jesuit priest. Originally built in the 0s and developed magnificently in the late 1500s, harvington hall brings to life the fascinating history of the survival of roman catholic. The priest hole at coughton court is a double blind, an ingenious construction that includes two priest holes an exterior one that hides an interior space where the hunted priest would stay. Apr 19, 2015 the second house described by him was in the context of a priest escaping by the use of priest holes and, i think, fitted somewhat into the description of harvington hall. A priest hole made by nicholas owen in the library in the harvington hall wikipedia owens priest holes saved many lives during this period of religious turmoil, but he could not save his own. Harvington hall belongs to the roman catholic archdiocese of birmingham and is particularly notable for its vestmenthide and seven priest holes, four of which are built around the main staircase and are thought to be the work of nicholas owen harvington hall is a medieval and elizabethan moated manor house.
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