"... [Miss Mapp] glided swiftly to the large cupboard underneath the stairs which was full of the things which no right-minded person could bear to throw away: broken basket-chairs, pieces of brown paper, cardboard boxes without lids, and cardboard lids without boxes, old bags with holes in them, keys without locks and locks without keys and worn chintz covers. There was one - it had once adorned the sofa in the garden-room - covered with red poppies, and Miss Mapp dragged it dustily from its corner, setting in motion a perfect cascade of cardboard lids and some door handles."
E.F. Benson, Miss Mapp
Mr. C. is reading Mapp & Lucia just now and found this passage particularly apposite as we have been reorganising our cupboard under the stairs. Poignant finds include some very early needlework, and a signed photograph of Basil Brush and Mr. Derek who passed away this morning.
My aunt's cupboard under the stairs was known as the glory hole.
Posted by: Janet | 17 January 2020 at 04:15 PM
A good name for it, I'm sure!
We could call ours 'the confessional' as that's what it was in the past - the house was at one time a small convent, and we're told the priest used to come and hear the nuns' confession in the cupboard under the stairs.
Posted by: Cornflower | 17 January 2020 at 04:47 PM
At home, in Wales, it was always called the cwtch! Pronounced almost like cootch.
It is a word that also means a hug or being wrapped up warm in bed.
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 18 January 2020 at 11:50 AM
That's lovely!
Posted by: Cornflower | 18 January 2020 at 01:07 PM
Stairs! Such a luxury :-)
Posted by: Dark Puss | 19 January 2020 at 09:42 PM
Save for the name, I have an almost identical 'sampler' - made when I was, I think, about 7, so roundabout 1977 - in my bottom drawer. Same size, materials, stiches and sheer effort! Every time I come across it, it seems to bring back my entire childhood.
Posted by: carolinehw@virginmedia.com | 20 January 2020 at 02:16 PM
Isn't there another lovely Welsh word "sws" which means "kiss"? It rhymes I think with "loose" and makes a good pairing with "cwtch"!
Posted by: Mr Cornflower | 20 January 2020 at 09:39 PM
The joy of learning to embroider on Binca. Have a similar mat myself. An aunt gave me a Christmas present of cotton embroidery thread and Binca, then set about teaching me all the different stitches.
Posted by: Fran H-B | 22 January 2020 at 05:55 AM
I'm off topic here Karen but I was wondering at Joshua Bell's performance at the Usher Hall last Sunday if you were perhaps in the audience?
And thank you for highlighting Topping bookshop. I've found so many interesting things from your blog over the years!
Posted by: Freda | 25 January 2020 at 10:11 PM
My goodness, Caroline! You're right about its evocative nature.
Posted by: Cornflower | 26 January 2020 at 02:45 PM
I'd forgotten it was called Binca - thanks, Fran.
Posted by: Cornflower | 26 January 2020 at 02:45 PM
I wasn't, Freda, though I have seen him there before and he was excellent.
So glad you like Topping & Co.!
Posted by: Cornflower | 26 January 2020 at 02:47 PM
I've always called such a space a glory hole too. Younger people of my acquaintance snigger a lot. I think it has another connotation for them ...
Posted by: Liz Davey | 17 February 2020 at 05:06 PM