Why did Saint Torin's chapel have a maze of tunnels and such underneath?

[tmcd]

I'm rereading Deryni Checkmate. I don't know why it never occurred to me to ask: why in Creation did Saint Torin's chapel have a maze of tunnels and such underneath?

Warin de Grey's rebels knew about them, so they couldn't have been that secret. Someone who helped build them or found them later would have blabbed while drunk, sold the knowledge, or whatever, so it could be argued that they should have long since become general knowledge. Then again, for example, knowledge of the basement of the Lincoln Memorial was recently circulated, and even D. C. denizens were unlikely to have known about it.

[revanne]

I'm entirely guessing here but my assumption is that they were from a much earlier time frame. 

We don't have much of the earlier history of Gwynedd but it's quite possible that they had something akin to the Roman occupation of Britain. Here in the UK there are ancient tunnels dating back to the Romans, and some mine workings even earlier.

So at a guess there was a much earlier holy place which had underground tunnels etc          (thinking sort of Mithraic worship) which were long disused when the St Torin's shrine was built. Many Christian shrines were built on the sites of pagan holy places. They would have been useful for the keepers of the shrine and so maintained but not of general knowledge.

Alternatively they were built by Deryni and knowledge of them was supressed during the Regency and later.

[Evie]

We don't have much of the earlier history of Gwynedd but it's quite possible that they had something akin to the Roman occupation of Britain.

They did. The Codex references ancient Rûm having settled the area that later became Gwynedd, and I think even mentions the ancient Rûman names of certain places like Concaradine. I think that is why they practice a more Roman-style form of Christianity as opposed to the more Eastern Orthodox style practiced in the Kingdoms that were primarily settled by people moving into the area from Byzantyun.

[Marc_du_Temple]

The Lincoln Memorial has a basement? Guys I have an idea ...

[DerynifanK]

Uh oh.

[tmcd]

I'm entirely guessing here but my assumption is that they were from a much earlier time frame.

It's said to be all paneled in wood. I don't think that would last long in a culture without dehumidifiers.

[revanne]

I'm entirely guessing here but my assumption is that they were from a much earlier time frame.

It's said to be all paneled in wood. I don't think that would last long in a culture without dehumidifiers.

It would depend on the type of wood - hardwood survives quite well. I have seen 13th century oak pillars in Ely Cathedral which are still going strong. This is not a hot and humid climate and there is thankfully a lack of termites and other such nasty beasties.

[whitelaughter]

The usual reason for tunnels is as crypts. The catacombs of Rome and Paris come to mind. Remember that in a world without modern transport, things need to be close, making space even more valuable.