Ancient underground chapel discovered after being hidden for nearly 100 years

An ancient chapel, which may have been hidden underneath a house for almost one hundred years, has been discovered by its owners by accident.

 

Gareth Farla in the hidden basement Credit: Photo: NEWSTEAM

Pat and Diane Farley decided to investigate a metal grid in their home during a family party which had been puzzling them since they moved into their house.

Beneath the grid, located outside their bathroom at their home in Telford, Shropshire, was a hole which their son Gareth, 20, was able to squeeze through.

He and his uncle, Matthew Lathan, 25, found a large chest which was filled with old newspapers dating back to the early 1900’s and old wine and sherry bottles.

In the centre of the brick room lay a wooden cross which had fallen down after rotting away in the damp cave.

Mr Lathan said: “The first thing we came across in the middle of the basement was an old, open chest and in it were old newspapers and bottles dating back to the 1930s.

“There were also hooks hanging from the ceiling which could have been used to hang meat.

“At one end of the cellar was a sort of mesh or cloth which was damp.

“There were also some sort of brick seats around the walls which looked like something you might find in a church.”

Other family members found stairs at the back of the basement.

The family said the deeds of the detached house dated it back 230 years but little was known about it and they believed it had been a pub at some stage.