Hi there,
Hope all is well. I'm sorry to do a post on this place as I can see it has been done plenty of times already, however, as this was the place I grew up in I had to post something. I have seen weddings here, met girlfriends here and had many a happy a Christmas and new year here. Having moved away from South Marston I was gutted to see what had happened. Even worse, the original rectory has now taken two serious fires and the beautiful period building is in danger of being lost all together.
The reason for my post (although I do want to pay my last respects) is regarding the tunnel. Ever since I was a lad I knew if a rumour that there was a tunnel that lead from the nearby Church to the rectory. When this place was renovated about 15 years ago, the builders by all accounts found it (along with a childs shoe). It was covered over onbviously, but seeing the place as original as it's been for decades, I wanted to see if anything hasld been uncovered.
A room off the kitchen
The original part of the building
The kitchen, or what is left of it
Now for the interesting part......
This is a photo from underneath the main stairs (sorry it's not very clear). I threw a bit of rubble down there towards the back and it dropped some distance. I know that the place had a cellar but it was on ground level and not underground. I didn't have the balls to go any further, and I had an impatient girlfriend waiting around with the dog. But I think it may be worth exploring further.
Just for good old times, this is what the place looked like before
Thanks for looking
Hope all is well. I'm sorry to do a post on this place as I can see it has been done plenty of times already, however, as this was the place I grew up in I had to post something. I have seen weddings here, met girlfriends here and had many a happy a Christmas and new year here. Having moved away from South Marston I was gutted to see what had happened. Even worse, the original rectory has now taken two serious fires and the beautiful period building is in danger of being lost all together.
The reason for my post (although I do want to pay my last respects) is regarding the tunnel. Ever since I was a lad I knew if a rumour that there was a tunnel that lead from the nearby Church to the rectory. When this place was renovated about 15 years ago, the builders by all accounts found it (along with a childs shoe). It was covered over onbviously, but seeing the place as original as it's been for decades, I wanted to see if anything hasld been uncovered.
The kitchen, or what is left of it
Now for the interesting part......
This is a photo from underneath the main stairs (sorry it's not very clear). I threw a bit of rubble down there towards the back and it dropped some distance. I know that the place had a cellar but it was on ground level and not underground. I didn't have the balls to go any further, and I had an impatient girlfriend waiting around with the dog. But I think it may be worth exploring further.
Just for good old times, this is what the place looked like before
Thanks for looking
