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Priest Holes

​A priest hole is a clandestine hiding place built into English or Welsh houses during periods when Catholic priests were persecuted (mostly Elizabethan and early Stuart eras). Its purpose was to hide priests during raids by “priest hunters” or authorities. 

With the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558 and the enforcement of anti-Catholic laws, Catholics faced severe penalties. By from the mid-1570s onward, many recusant (non-conforming) families began incorporating secret hides into their houses. 

The most famed builder was Nicholas Owen (a Jesuit lay brother), who constructed many hides for Catholic families. When arrested in 1606, he was tortured to death in the Tower of London — later canonized a martyr by the Catholic Church in 1970. 

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Construction & Strategy

Priest holes varied from full-size conveyances (large enough for a person) to small secret corners for vestments or sacred vessels. 
 

Common concealment zones:

  • within chimney stacks

  • inside wall thicknesses

  • under stair voids

  • beneath floorboards

  • in voids adjacent to fireplaces

 

 Occupants often endured very cramped, airless conditions for days.
 

 Search methods included:

  • measurement and sounding probes

  • tampering with walls and floors

  • staged departures

  • lighting tests to flush fugitives


Despite searches, many hides successfully deceived searchers.

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Surviving Examples

  • Harvington Hall (Worcestershire):

    • Contains multiple well-preserved priest holes, several believed to be the work of master builder Nicholas Owen.

  • Oxburgh Hall (Norfolk):

    • Features a concealed hide beneath a trapdoor in the garderobe (toilet), a classic example of discreet integration.

  • Huddington Court (Worcestershire):

    • Historic recusant house linked to the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, known to contain hiding places.

  • Baddesley Clinton (Warwickshire):

    • Notable for a converted sewer priest hole, offering both concealment and rudimentary drainage.

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These sites are part of a broader network of recusant houses across England, many still concealing hidden compartments.

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