Sometimes the most intriguing pieces of history are the ones we least expect to find. During recent conservation works at The Carrington Hotel, an unexpected discovery beneath the floorboards of our Library has revealed a little mystery from the hotel’s early years.

While investigating and repairing damaged floor bearers and joists, our carpenter Dave uncovered a pair of remarkably well-worn leather shoes resting on the original ground beneath the floor.

The shoes were found close to the fireplace, in a space that has remained hidden since the early days of the building.

A room steeped in history

The room we now know as The Library was originally the Gentleman’s Smoking Room and Reading Room of the Great Western Hotel.

Designed by architect John Kirkpatrick, construction of the hotel commenced in late 1881, with the Great Western Hotel officially opening its doors on 15 August 1883. The Gentleman’s Smoking Room was among the facilities described when the hotel first opened, making this one of the original rooms of the building.

Remarkably, the room retains its original character, including its timber floorboards, which have been covered by green tartan
carpet since the 1900s.

It was beneath these very floorboards that Dave made his discovery.

A pair of shoes with a story to tell

The shoes are made of leather and show considerable signs of wear, suggesting they had a well-used life before finding their way beneath the floor.

One shoe is noticeably more worn than the other, and theircondition hints at a time when footwear was repaired and worn for as long as possible. Their exact age and original owner remain unknown, but their appearance is consistent with historic footwear from the late 19th or early 20th century.

So how did they end up beneath the floor?

The curious tradition of concealed shoes

The discovery has brought to light an unusual historical tradition known as ‘concealed shoes’.

For centuries, worn shoes have been deliberately hidden in buildings, often beneath floorboards, inside walls, above doorways and within chimneys. The practice has been documented in Britain, Europe and Australia, with many examples discovered during building renovations and restoration works.

Although the exact reasons behind the tradition remain uncertain, one commonly suggested explanation is that shoes were placed within buildings as protective charms, believed to ward off evil spirits, misfortune or unwanted visitors and bring good fortune to the household.

Interestingly, concealed shoes are often heavily worn, and discoveries of matching pairs have also been recorded.

Could our discovery be another example of this centuries-old custom? Were the shoes deliberately placed beneath the floor during the hotel’s original construction, perhaps as a gesture of good luck or protection? Or is there another story behind their presence?

For now, we can only speculate.

A little piece of history preserved

What makes this discovery particularly special is that the shoes were found resting on the original ground beneath a room that has
remained largely unchanged since the hotel’s construction.

Rather than simply being another unexpected find during building works, they offer a tangible connection to the people who built,
worked in and occupied The Carrington more than a century ago.

With thanks to Dave for uncovering this little piece of history during the ongoing care and conservation of our much-loved building.

The shoes will be carefully preserved and returned to their original resting place, accompanied by a record of their discovery for future generations.

Who knows? Perhaps someone will discover them again many years from now and find themselves asking the very same questions.

Some secrets are worth keeping beneath the floorboards.