Towneley from A to Z
Towneley from A to Z
Ursula Fermor , wife of Charles Towneley (1658-1712), wrote down a little of the family history and also passed on the family histry to her children and grandchildren such as John Towneley (1731-1813). He in turn related the oral history to Thomas Dunham Whitaker, who imported it into his publications.
She wrote down a list of hiding places at Towneley
In the library, over against the closet door, the middle panell slides back, and the same over against the window. On the floor over against the door, the base slides up and takes out: in the floor is a hole in which an iron hook is to be put and will open to a large place by lifting up the whole floor. At the back side of the library door, the side wainscote may be taken out and lets you into a place where some boards may be taken up, which will let you into a large place which held all the library books. At the chapel door, taking up one board which is not nailed fast will let you into such another.
In the chapel, the alter table draws out, and also the upper steps, which will let you into a large place in which may be laid all the guilding, which is only put on with pegs and takes to pieces. Care must be taken not to knock the gilding in taking down or putting up.
Over the canopy of the alter in the library lies a door for the tabernacle, balls for the top of the pillars, instead of the flowerpots, and also capitals and bottoms instead of the gilding, so that the place may be made use of though the gilding be taken down.
At the steps going from the stone stairs to the garret, a step may be taken out, where there is a large place over the Green Parlour.
In the second room in the Gallery, the wainscoting opens in the middle of the chimney upon hinges, where there is a hole in the wall, not very big. In the third room in the Gallery is the closestool closet: the panel towards the garden has a latch within, which is opened with an iron pin at a hole in the door, which lifts up the latch, which may be made fast by those within: it has a seat and will hold two persons.
No servants should be trusted with this, but open some occasion some trusty servant may be made use off for some of the places to be used but not made acquainted with them all.
Only the large place over the Green Parlour, now known as the Priest's Hide still survives.