We have already referred (see _Journal_, page 464) to the singular
revelation of a regular system of medieval ‘jerry-building’ found to
have existed in Peterborough Cathedral; and we have now to record
another interesting discovery, by which the old ‘strong-room’ of the
church has been brought to light. In excavating for the foundations
of the piers of the new central tower, some ancient masonry was found
deep below the surface, which was at once pronounced to be the remains
of the original Saxon church, which, together with the monastery, had
been destroyed by the marauding Danes. These remains indicated that
the former church occupied nearly the position of the present one; and
whilst these antiquarian researches were going on, speculation was
rife as to a certain crypt or chamber supposed to exist close under
the floor of the present church, as indicated by Gunton, who wrote the
History of the cathedral not very long after its narrow escape from the
hands of Cromwell’s soldiers.
Accordingly, a careful search was made by Dean Perowne and the clerk
of the works, to the north of the great central tower, and bordering
on the south end of the north transept; when the accuracy of their
calculations was proved, and their labours rewarded by the discovery,
immediately under the pavement, of an underground chamber measuring
six feet three inches in length, by four feet wide, and six feet high.
A curved flight of steps rises from one side of the chamber, whilst a
straight flight leads off at one end, and both ascend directly to the
floor of the church above. The vault was found to be filled with all
sorts of apparent rubbish in stone and metal. On close inspection,
however, much of this proved to be parts of the choir-screen, which,
from its great beauty, had been the glory of the church and the
admiration of historians for centuries, but which, at the sacking of
the church by Cromwell’s soldiers in 1643, had been pulled to the
ground with ropes, and then smashed to pieces. The rest of the contents
consisted of pieces of stone, forming parts of what had once been,
apparently, a reredos; bits of stained glass, which lost their colour
on exposure to the air; fragments of broken swords and pikes; pieces of
leathern scabbards; bits of charred wood; and a quantity of bones of
animals, probably sheep, which had been used for food.
On the chamber being cleared and closely examined, competent
authorities pronounced the floor to be much older work than the rest of
the vault, and it is not impossible that this might have been part of
the floor of the original Saxon church. It was composed of large flags,
several of which had been violently disturbed, possibly by Cromwell’s
looters, in their search for spoil, and in the thought of finding
another hidden chamber still lower down. Whether or not they found any
valuables does not appear to be known; but the supposition is that they
did not, or it would have been referred to by contemporary historians.
Opinions seem divided as to the use of this vault. The more general
opinion appears to be that it was nothing more or less than the
‘strong-room’ of the monastery. In medieval times, secrecy was often
more trusted in than locks and bars; for the latter, force and patience
might ultimately overcome; but a hidden secret would be a secret still;
and in the present instance, as there was not the smallest outward
indication of the existence of such a chamber, so long as the secret
was kept inviolate, the chamber and its contents were safe. All the
facts in connection with this interesting discovery being taken into
careful consideration, the conclusion may be safely arrived at, that
this chamber or vault was indeed the ‘strong-room’ or ‘safe,’ contrived
and cleverly concealed centuries ago, beneath the floor of the great
cathedral, for the purpose of containing the money and treasures
belonging to the community of the monastery of Peterborough, and now so
unexpectedly laid open to the eager gaze of admiring antiquaries and
architects of this present year of grace 1884. Perhaps discoveries of
still deeper interest are in store for us from amongst the foundations
of this grand medieval fane.