Sunday 17 November 2013

17.7.1599

On 17th July 1599 Ufton Court was raided again by the English Inquisition (perhaps the worst form of the Inquisition ever devised), searching for priests and for evidence which would incriminate the owners as Catholics. During this search over £750 in cash was stolen and taken away. Government agents seemed to have been aware that a large amount of money was stored at Ufton, money which was destined to give support to Catholics in their plight during the harshest era of the penal times.
During the search a hide was found, from which was recovered £1300. However, a further £750 went missing, thought to have been stolen by servants during the upheaval of the search. No priests were found during this search.
The hide which contained the money (photo above), was entered through a trap door in the floor of the top, attic, corridor of the house. The hide itself is cut into the masonry abutting the chimney stack on the first floor of the house.
This hide, which is about 9 feet deep, is now illuminated within and covered with a strengthened glass window. Inside the hide is the original trap door and the original ladder. Both these can be seen in this second photo below.
Again, the original bolt fastening on the inside of the hide show how well this hide's entrance had been made.

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