Monastery Renovation: Hidden Treasures

Since the monastery renovation has begun, workers have uncovered several interesting pieces of historical significance.  With such an extensive renovation to a historic building like the monastery, there’s no telling what they would find.

Here are a few examples of some recent finds.

Below:  Murals discovered a few months ago on the 4th floor when removing some panelling.

Below:  Just this week, various Coats of Arms were uncovered when workers removed the panelling from the ceiling of the monastery parlor.

Below:  Workers dug up dirt around the monastery for the new garage.  The dirt was moved to a pile out on the monastery grounds.  Br. Placid went to collect some dirt and found this old jug that must have been transplanted in the process.

Below:  Most recently discovered in between the walls of the monastery, a newspaper, The Springfield Leader, from March 24, 1918, which discusses the First World War (WWI did not conclude until November 11, 1918).  Other old newspapers were found stuffed in the walls, but they are very brittle and broke apart when handled.  As far as I can tell, the Headline reads, “Germans Press Haig’s Line Regardless of…”.  Field Marshal Douglas Haig was a British senior officer during WWI.