The Priest-Hole Builder
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Armed men burst into your home, tearing rooms apart, ripping panelling from the walls and searching every corner. They are looking for hidden Catholic priests – and anyone harbouring them.
During the reign of Elizabeth I, this is an act of treason, punishable by the most brutal death. With the Protestant Queen as Head of the Church, Catholics lived under constant suspicion, and those who protected them risked everything.
This compelling costumed performance tells the extraordinary story of Nicholas Owen, the master craftsman who did more than anyone else to conceal Catholic priests in secret hiding places across the Midlands and East Anglia. His ingenious “priest holes” saved countless lives, yet every new hiding place brought him closer to discovery.
Presented as a first-person monologue in authentic costume, Dan Hastings brings Nicholas Owen’s vividly to life. Follow his journey from humble beginnings to his courageous final days, hearing of the priests he served, his daring involvement in an escape from the Tower of London, and the impact of dramatic events such as the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder Plot on England’s persecuted Catholic community.
A fascinating and atmospheric performance, this is a story of faith, ingenuity, courage and sacrifice that reveals one of the hidden heroes of Elizabethan England.
Tickets should be purchased in advance.
During the reign of Elizabeth I, this is an act of treason, punishable by the most brutal death. With the Protestant Queen as Head of the Church, Catholics lived under constant suspicion, and those who protected them risked everything.
This compelling costumed performance tells the extraordinary story of Nicholas Owen, the master craftsman who did more than anyone else to conceal Catholic priests in secret hiding places across the Midlands and East Anglia. His ingenious “priest holes” saved countless lives, yet every new hiding place brought him closer to discovery.
Presented as a first-person monologue in authentic costume, Dan Hastings brings Nicholas Owen’s vividly to life. Follow his journey from humble beginnings to his courageous final days, hearing of the priests he served, his daring involvement in an escape from the Tower of London, and the impact of dramatic events such as the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder Plot on England’s persecuted Catholic community.
A fascinating and atmospheric performance, this is a story of faith, ingenuity, courage and sacrifice that reveals one of the hidden heroes of Elizabethan England.
Tickets should be purchased in advance.
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Where is it happening?
The Old Stables, Lichfield, United Kingdom
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherLesley Smith Historians
