railway Archives - Lorne House Box

Hidden Box

Updated 3 October 2026

Hidden Box offers more than its railway tunnel and Bath stone: a closer look reveals a village with Roman remains, a historic lock-up, local industry and a music-making connection. These are stories to explore alongside a stay at Lorne House, rather than a list of attractions all open for tours.

The Blind House

The small stone Blind House on the High Street is a Grade II listed former lock-up, dated by Historic England to the early eighteenth century. Its compact shape and stone dome make it one of the village’s distinctive historic buildings.

Small stone Blind House with domed roof in Box — The Blind House, photographed for the original Lorne House local guide.

Read the official Blind House listing for its architectural details.

The Roman village beneath today’s Box

Near the parish church lie the buried remains of a substantial Roman villa. Archaeological work has identified elaborate buildings and mosaic floors beneath the modern village. This is hidden history in a literal sense: it should not be treated as an excavated attraction available to walk into.

The Box Roman Villa project explains the discoveries and shows reconstructions and a model. The Historic England record provides the archaeological background.

Remembering the Rising Sun

The Rising Sun pub on Box Hill was destroyed in a gas explosion in December 1957, with the loss of three members of the Griffin family. The memorial is a place to pause and remember a tragedy that remains part of the village’s shared history.

Box People and Places records the pub’s earlier life and the family who lived there. The official Box Heritage Trail includes the former pub site.

Tennis balls made locally

Box’s industrial story is not confined to stone. Price of Bath continues the local tradition of manufacturing tennis, squash and racket balls, including personalised products. Check the company’s own information for its current range and location; a mention here does not imply factory tours.

Real World Studios

Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios occupies a former mill complex in Box. It is an important part of the village’s musical story, but it is a working recording studio. Its official FAQ states that tours are not available to the general public, with virtual views available through its website.

Hidden Box: railway and underground history

The nearby tunnel and former quarry workings link Box to engineering and military history. Read our underground city story and Awdry and Thomas the Tank Engine article for two very different sides of that connection.

To explore on foot, use our walking guide and the current official route information.

Lorne House & Thomas the Tank Engine

Updated 3 October 2026

Lorne House has a special connection with the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine. Wilbert Awdry, who went on to create The Railway Series, lived here from 1920 to 1928. His family called the house Journey’s End.

Thomas the Tank Engine: inspiration beside Box Tunnel

The railway near Lorne House helped shape Awdry’s imagination. As a boy, he listened to steam engines working on the incline at Box and imagined their sounds as conversations between characters with distinct personalities. Those memories later helped inspire the story in which Edward assists Gordon’s train up the hill.

It is a wonderfully local connection: a childhood sound outside a Wiltshire bedroom becoming part of stories enjoyed around the world. Awdry developed the tales for his son Christopher; The Three Railway Engines, the first book in the series, appeared in May 1945.

Blue plaque commemorating Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry on the stone wall at Lorne House — The blue plaque at Lorne House commemorates Awdry’s childhood here.

Journey’s End and a family love of railways

Wilbert’s father, the Reverend Vere Awdry, was also interested in railways. Local historical photographs record that enthusiasm, while former resident Geoff Bence remembered being told about a model railway in the greenhouse at Lorne House.

These are memories of the house in an earlier period. The greenhouse and garden descriptions in historical accounts do not describe facilities available to guests today; the verandah is our guest outdoor space.

The blue plaque at Lorne House

In 2012, Awdry’s family visited Lorne House for the unveiling of its blue plaque. It is a lasting reminder of the house’s place in his childhood and of Box’s railway heritage.

Christopher Awdry beside the commemorative plaque at Lorne House — Christopher Awdry at the plaque unveiling, from the Lorne House archive.

Explore the Thomas the Tank Engine connection

Our history of Lorne House follows the families who lived here. For railway landmarks and a walk through the village, see our Box walking guide.

Further reading: Cambridge Past, Present & Future’s Awdry biography; Vere Awdry photographs; Geoff Bence’s recollections.

Hidden Box

The Blind House

The Roman village beneath today’s Box

Remembering the Rising Sun

Tennis balls made locally

Real World Studios

Hidden Box: railway and underground history

Lorne House & Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas the Tank Engine: inspiration beside Box Tunnel

Journey’s End and a family love of railways

The blue plaque at Lorne House

Explore the Thomas the Tank Engine connection

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