Uncover the chilling history of Abergavenny's Plas Gunter Mansion, a building that whispers tales of a bygone era. Once a sanctuary for Catholics, it now stands as a testament to a time when religious practice was fraught with danger. In the 17th century, 'priest hunters' roamed the streets of Wales and England, seeking out those who secretly worshipped the Catholic faith. This is where the Plas Gunter Mansion's secret lies. Hidden in the attic, a small chapel was used for clandestine masses, where Jesuit priest David Lewis was discovered and subsequently executed in Usk in 1679. This building, a Grade II-listed 400-year-old structure, has been dubbed a 'history capsule' by a team of volunteers who have secured £3 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore it. The chapel, considered one of the most important and best-surviving recusant chapels in Britain, was used by Catholics when it was illegal to do so. The story of the chapel was confirmed in the Houses of Parliament at the time. The mansion also boasts an elaborately carved 17th-century plaster ceiling in what was once the parlour. As restoration teams carefully uncover the building's secrets, they are piecing together the stories of the Gunters, the family who once lived there, and the Catholic priests who met their tragic ends. The Plas Gunter Mansion stands as a reminder of the religious persecution that once plagued Britain, inviting us to reflect on the past and its impact on the present.
