This website, created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K. 

THE WAR YEARS AT MUNTHAM AND THE SEVILLE CATHEDRAL GATES

Colonel Ulric Oliver Thynne of Muntham Court in Findon riding on the downs.

Copyright Valerie Martin 1997.

Text first published in the West Sussex Gazette 7th August, l997.

In August 1942 during the Second World War there was an emergency law making all iron railings, (no exception even for Royal Parks), subject to confiscation for the war effort. Colonel Ulric Thynne, the owner of Muntham Court in Findon, considered that Muntham was above any Royal Park and was afraid that his gracious gates would disappear altogether into the melting pot and quickly issued instructions.

Down came the gates. They were speedily transported back up the half-mile long driveway to the house. What to do with them next? They must be kept out of sight. He quickly thought, and decided to have them lowered down the yawning abyss of the Muntham well. After much heaving, and toil and sweat, they were attached to a huge corroded chain some 25-30 ft. in length and manoeuvred over the shaft. Down went the gates. The darkness of the cavity held his secret. The Colonel rubbed his hands — no one would find them down there. The well would be good camouflage until the end of the conflict.

The inside of the Well House at Muntham at the time of the story.

 

1997 — The original well with winch, hawser and handle.

 

1997 — The capped well in the Well House at Muntham.

 

 

22nd April 2005

Valerie,

Water Pump House at Muntham

Walked to the old pump house at Muntham this afternoon and met workmen there who told me that next Monday they are removing all of the old machinery etc. from inside the building.

There is not much inside now but it is being removed as the building is in a bad state -in danger of falling down.

They had heard that some would be going to a local museum (Amberley ?) and the rest for scrap.

They then thought the building would be demolished.

The next few days might be the last for anyone to see this fine old building.

I enclose one pic. of the inside and another of the ivy covered outside.

John Stepney, Findon Village, West Sussex

This strategy was a highly successful ploy. At the conclusion of the war the faithful retainers returned to Muntham and rallied round the Colonel in an effort to haul the gates out of the cold and damp. The ancient brownish-red chain had weakened and could stand the strain no longer. It finally came apart and clanked as it swung aimlessly down in the vast seemingly bottomless pit. Silence reigned for a moment. Then groans of dismay. Imagine the cursing.

The loyal servants hesitated and looked at each other. The Colonel peered down the well and barked out instructions. It was expected that the gates would immediately crash to the depths of the 300 ft. shaft and never see the light of day again but luck was on the Colonel’s side. They grated down about 10 ft. and jammed hard at an angle. All attempts to retrieve them were fruitless. The Colonel grew weary and finally called it a day and withdrew to ponder further tactics and deployment of his workers.

Well House and Saw Mill at Muntham in 1967.

Brian Thynne came back to Muntham after being demobbed from the Royal Air Force in 1945. It did not take very long before he was summoned by his father to assist in the salvage of the secreted gates. An aged cage employed in days past for inspection of the well was brought into action again. Everyone held their breath. Brian Thynne was inched into the chilly darkness, aware of the fact that the wire hawser appeared to be of the same vintage as the fateful broken chain. He discovered the concealed gates were rather dirty to say the least and securely wedged but after procuring more suitable equipment, he succeeded in dislodging them from their hiding place.

 

Up came the gates. The Colonel proceeded to have them restored to their original glory and transported back down to the East Lodge entrance once more. Up went the gates. It was not to be the end of the story of the gates by any means.

Brian returned to Muntham after the conflict and it was then his task to sort out with the Ministry the compensation for the damage done by the military to the Muntham Estate and farm buildings.   Brian also recalled after the war how he had a dreadful row with the authorities because they removed all of the army Nissen huts at the  Estate after the hostilities — but had not seen fit to remove the unsightly concrete bases on which they stood. 

Continue to read The Mystery of the Seville Cathedral Gates is Solved.

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This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com