During the nineteenth century a priest would have used the space in front of this icon to robe and prepare before saying mass in the chapel which is situated next door to the sacristy.
This part of the room also housed a garde-robe (in the place of the current trap-door). This became the escape route into the sewer below when the Jesuit priests were in residence during 1587-91. *
*Information taken from the Baddesley Clinton guidebook.
Interesting that such things were necessary – priestholes etc. Lovely photo too.
It is very much part of English history. There is Boscobel House and Moseley Old Hall too, safe houses for Charles before he fled the country.