THE P RTAL
June 2015
Page 21
Mapledurham House
Eliza Treblecock visits this remarkable house at Mapledurham
In Recusant
times, a priest from Europe would land on the north Norfolk coast, or near Newhaven
on the south coast. Travel would be difficult, for with a small population, strangers were easily spotted. The
solution was to travel by river.
Making one’s way north from Newhaven the journey
eventually led to the Thames en route to Harvington.
By then it was time to lay low for a bit. But where? The
Stonor family provided shelter and a safe haven near
Reading. Edmund Campion had his press nearby, but
disaster struck when their cover was blown.
The forebears of the Blount family had arrived
in England with William I and had property close
by. Michael Blount, the owner of Mapledurham was
Lieutenant of the Tower of London, and it was thought
that, although he was a Catholic, this position might
make the place safer. Therefore, in 1588 Mapledurham
House was built right next to the Thames. Included in
the structure was one of Nicholas Owen’s “Hides”. The
secret sign for Catholic travellers was three shells in a
triangle, still there on the gable facing the river.
Mr John Eyston, the present owner and direct
descendant of the builder, showed me around the house.
The admirable Lola had made all the arrangements
and was on hand to welcome me and introduce John
Eyston. He told me, “The family had some difficult
days under Edward VI, and then Elizabeth I of course.
Yet most of the large estates were by that time made up
of ex-monastic land. This meant few would ‘rock the
boat’ for fear of losing their land.”
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John Eyston posed the question, “Was this the only
recusant house to be built at that time?” It may well
be. Family history records there being six “hides” at
Mapledurham, but today there is just one. They were,
it seems, often dismantled when their need had passed.
The Chapel at Mapledurham is furthest from the
door. In the mid 18th century it proved to be too small
and another was built. In time, this also was too small
and a third was constructed.
It is thought that no one was ever discovered in the
“hide” here. “Over half of the priests in penal times
were Oxford graduates, yet today Oxford seems to be
the most anti-Catholic of places!” He continued, “The
house is an architectural gem, and it has history.
John Eyston gave me a whole morning to show
me around his wonderful house. All the time, he was
chatting away about the history of the place and the
way Catholic fortunes changed with the times.
“The 1550’s were difficult times, with the Armada
and so on. Henry VIII thought he died a Catholic.
Was it Anne Boleyn who changed the Church? The
Reformation started from the Royal Court and London,
but not the rest of the country. The desire for power