134 BREADSALL PRIORY. 



floor levels in the old part of the house are (except in the south- 

 east Tower, which is obviously altered) very nearly in their 

 original position, and this is confirmed by a portion of one 

 of the old mullioned windows which has lately been dis- 

 covered and opened out. If this is the case, the floors in the 

 bays were not, except in the attic, level with those in the 

 main block, and the rooms being lower, these bays contained 

 an additional floor. The old engraving of the east front does 

 not agree with this, as it shows the windows nearly in line with 

 each other ; but it is impossible to trust to the accuracy of 

 old engravings in detail, and the oil painting of the south end 

 confirms the idea that the floors were on different levels. 



In the garden are two quaint stone figures, of which illustra- 

 tions are given. The most probable explanation of them is 

 that they were caryatides supporting a chimney-piece. 



In the basement is a small doorway with a square head, and 

 chamfered all round, now blocked up, opening into the base- 

 ment of the central bay (" C " on plan), and under the floor of 

 the morning room can be seen the chamfered jambs of an 

 originally external doorway into the basement of the south-east 

 bay (" B " on plan). 



In the large projecting chimney stack of the kitchen and 

 rooms over, there is on each of the upper floors a small 

 closet. These are said until lately to have had no floors, but 

 to have been open from top to bottom of the building. Of 

 this it is difficult to determine the original purpose, but the 

 possibility of sanitary conveniences suggests itself. When a 

 new window was recently being cut through the wall on the 

 opposite side of the chimney stack, in the room now called 

 the " Darwin room," a recess was found, just large enough for 

 a man to stand upright in; it was rounded at the back and 

 top, and the stonework dressed smooth. The description given 

 of it seems to suggest a " priest hole," or hiding place. Unfor- 

 tunately its destruction was unavoidable. 



A feature of the old house which should not be overlooked, 

 but which has unfortunately disappeared, is the dove-cote. 



