Stephen's Smith Family - Ancestors, Descendants and Cousins

Notes

Edwin Charles Cox

   The Western Daily Press of Saturday 10 January, 1998, carried  a short illustrated article about tunnels at Cranmore near Shepton Mallet, just ten miles from Frome.
    Apparently a cow grazing near the croquet lawn of an 18th century grade 1 listed building, Southill House, fell through the turf into a forgotten passage way. The tunnel was 200 yards long and four feet high, leading back to the cellars of the house, but sealed by a stone at each end. Two seven feet high vaulted tunnels leading from the cellars were already known, so it was beginning to look as though stories of a labyrinth of tunnels might be true. The stories are that tunnels run from the house to Doutling, a hamlet, a mile and a half away.
    Edwin Charles Cox, a Victorian servant at the house, wrote about life there and described how workmen digging in the grounds uncovered a vault big enough to drive a hay waggon along. Legend had it that the ghost of a previous owner had been banished by twelve exorcists to live in vaults beneath the house and no one would venture in. Mr Cox was persuaded to explore it with the offer of a half a crown reward. It only contained old furniture and bottles.

Edwin Charles Cox

   The Western Daily Press of Saturday 10 January, 1998, carried  a short illustrated article about tunnels at Cranmore near Shepton Mallet, just ten miles from Frome.
    Apparently a cow grazing near the croquet lawn of an 18th century grade 1 listed building, Southill House, fell through the turf into a forgotten passage way. The tunnel was 200 yards long and four feet high, leading back to the cellars of the house, but sealed by a stone at each end. Two seven feet high vaulted tunnels leading from the cellars were already known, so it was beginning to look as though stories of a labyrinth of tunnels might be true. The stories are that tunnels run from the house to Doutling, a hamlet, a mile and a half away.
    Edwin Charles Cox, a Victorian servant at the house, wrote about life there and described how workmen digging in the grounds uncovered a vault big enough to drive a hay waggon along. Legend had it that the ghost of a previous owner had been banished by twelve exorcists to live in vaults beneath the house and no one would venture in. Mr Cox was persuaded to explore it with the offer of a half a crown reward. It only contained old furniture and bottles.