The Ladder Passage
Lacock, Wiltshire, England
This is my rendition of The Ladder Passage, a beautiful Tudor era door, discovered on a trip to England, in the Tudor courtyard of Lacock Abbey. In reproducing the door in miniature, I tried to get all the age and cracks in the right places, as well as the placement of all those tiny nails, and also how the door has had "amendments" over the ages... like the square cutout at the bottom and the band of different wood, just above the lower strap hinge, which must have been replaced a very long time ago.
Below is the real Ladder Passage, one of several very unassuming, beautiful doorways in this place. I love all the nails in the door, and the cutout in the bottom intrigued me. So, I wrote to the staff at Lacock Abbey to ask if anyone knew anything about this door... where did it lead? Is there any known history? Why is there a hole at the bottom and who cut it out?
I was so thrilled to get a response from Lacock Abbey... in fact, from the lovely young woman who lives behind that door! She told me that it is now her living quarters, but that in days long ago, the door was called the Ladder Passage because it led to a hay loft. A tenant who lived there before her had a cat and cut the hole in the bottom of the door so the cat could come and go.
If you are interested in learning more about the village of Lacock and Lacock Abbey, it is a National Trust property, and is really worth a visit. The village, while looking very much like a gorgeous movie set (which it often is), is home to a wonderful community of people who are lucky enough to make their lives here.
Lacock has survived hundreds of years of whatever history could throw at it... which is real proof that we should always go forward optimistically.
This piece is in a private collection. If you are interested in commissioning your own special door, please contact me.
I was so thrilled to get a response from Lacock Abbey... in fact, from the lovely young woman who lives behind that door! She told me that it is now her living quarters, but that in days long ago, the door was called the Ladder Passage because it led to a hay loft. A tenant who lived there before her had a cat and cut the hole in the bottom of the door so the cat could come and go.
If you are interested in learning more about the village of Lacock and Lacock Abbey, it is a National Trust property, and is really worth a visit. The village, while looking very much like a gorgeous movie set (which it often is), is home to a wonderful community of people who are lucky enough to make their lives here.
Lacock has survived hundreds of years of whatever history could throw at it... which is real proof that we should always go forward optimistically.
This piece is in a private collection. If you are interested in commissioning your own special door, please contact me.