Our mini adventure looking for buried treasure at Montacute!
The National Trust property of Montacute House is easily recognisable, one for being used as the location for many films and of course the inspiration for Tottington Hall in the Wallace and Gromit film Curse of the Were rabbit!
But it's not the Elizabethan house that we have come to explore today. We’re taking one of the great family walks around Montecute. We head up the narrow road next to the 12th century church of St Catherine's and the entrance of Abbey Farmhouse.
On the other side of the paved yard the footpath continues up the hill
and into a wooded area and a very steep path, not for the faint hearted! There is an easier path but we are not ones for doing it the easy way so we continue scaling the steep sides of the hill...the dogs of course, have no problem! And pushing our way through the narrow path past the brambles and nettles until the hill opens up in front of us.
This little gem is what we came to see...
A location packed with fascinating legends and mysteries.
Just to set the scene...
This isolated knoll commanded a great strategic position in the area and with amazing views over the Somerset countryside it is not surprising that a motte and bailey castle was built here by the Normans.
By the 16th century it had fallen into disrepair, the present tower was constructed in the 18th century on the remains of the castle chapel.
It was built as a folly, the Greek inscription above the doorway to the tower describes it as a lookout, and there is a small fireplace and chimney at the top of the 52-step spiral staircase. There are stories that the tower is connected to Montacute House by a 'secret tunnel' but these have never been substantiated. I guess due to health and safety visitors are prevented from scaling the staircase now but if you look through the gate it does appear as though the steps continue on down...
Now to the buried treasure...
Way before the Normans arrived, in 1035 a ghostly apparition appeared three times to the village Black-smith , This figure commanded him to tell the priest that the villagers should fast, pray, and confess their sins before heading to the top of the hill to unearth a hidden treasure. He ignored the first two visitations , but he received a third visit and this time he was thoroughly rebuked; the divine figure gripped his arm so tightly he left finger-nail marks, proving it was no mere dream. Terrified, the smith ran to the priest, and together they made preparations to climb the hill.
He and the parson accompanied by some villagers began to excavate the area until one man reached a massive stone buried about 60 feet down in the soil. As the spade touched it the stone split apart and revealed a large black stone crucifix .
Buried alongside the crucifix was another smaller cross, a bell, and a Black book of the 4 Gospels. The locals fearing to touch these holy relicts summoned their lord, Tovi the Proud, standard bearer to King Cnut the Great.
Tovi had the black cross transported to his estate at Waltham in Essex where he built a church to house the miraculous cross. It was here that stories of the cross’ miraculous healings began. Waltham Abbey became a place of pilgrimage as it was said that at certain times the cross would appear to bleed.
Even today Waltham Abbey holds a festival honouring this Holy Cross.
Unfortunately the holy cross was lost during the reformation.
But where did this miraculous cross come from?
There are claims that St Michael’s hill is the last resting place of Joseph of Aramethea and that the black stone cross covered his tomb which perhaps would explain its miraculous healing powers
The hill is not far from Glastonbury where Joseph stuck his staff into Wearyall hill and it took root, turning into the Glastonbury thorn. He founded Glastonbury Abbey and some reports say that he brought the Holy Grail with him to Britain after the death of Jesus. When he died at the age of 86 the monks fearing that his grave would be desecrated by the Romans hid his body and laid him to rest on the hill.
It has been suggested that Joseph was buried with the holy grail so is the most holy christian relic still on St Michael's Hill waiting to be discovered?
But that mystery is for another day, as our final destination is calling...!
Leaving the hill behind we head back down to the village for our last call of the day.. The Montacute Arms.
Hot and hungry, we are in desperate need of sustenance. Great sandwiches and beer!
