Pepys' Gold under the bed

Famous C17th diarist Samuel Pepys recorded stopping over in Stevenage a number of times.

On one occasion, he stopped over with his entire hoard of gold, which he had dug up from the garden of his family home in Brampton, having had it buried there earlier when in fear that the Dutch were invading and would take control of London and with it, his gold, as related here.

Pepys’ diary entry for Friday 11 October 1667 recounts:

My gold I put into a basket, and set under one of the seats; and so my work every quarter of an hour was to look to see whether all was well; and I did ride in great fear all the day, but it was a pleasant day, and good company, and I mightily contented. Mr. Shepley saw me beyond St. Neots, and there parted, and we straight to Stevenage, through Bald Lanes, which are already very bad; and at Stevenage we come well before night, and all sat, and there with great care I got the gold up to the chamber, my wife carrying one bag, and the girl another, and W. Hewer the rest in the basket, and set it all under a bed in our chamber […]