A couple were left stunned when they found a medieval gargoyle imp hidden above their loo. <br /><br />Tracy and Rory Vorster discovered the stone-carved sprite concealed under a wooden panel in their bathroom.<br /><br />Cyber security worker Rory, 41, was scrubbing the toilet when he made the "grotesque" discovery. <br /><br />The couple took to social media for answers after removing the shelf above the toilet in their Grade-I listed home last Sunday (14/4).<br /><br />Experts at Lincoln Cathedral believe the ghoulish figure forms part of a historical drainage system dating back to the 14th century. <br /><br />Dad-of-three Rory said: “I couldn’t believe it. I shouted up to my wife and said ‘I’ve found a thing.<br /><br />“The whole of the house has kind of a hollow walling, so we immediately thought there could be more, in fact we’re almost certain now.<br /><br />“The previous occupant had been here for over 20 years, so surely they knew, but we had absolutely no clue it was there.”<br /><br />The couple only moved into the 700-year-old home on March 1 but lived a few doors down in another home which Tracy says is "haunted".<br /><br />Spray salon owner Tracy, 40, said: “I think the funniest part of it was that I was so moody with Rory and said ‘please can you go clean the bathroom’. <br /><br />"It all came about from our spat about not cleaning the bathroom. Had it not been for him he wouldn’t have found it. I thought it was a shelf. <br /><br />“I thought it was really interesting and I asked on a group on Facebook.<br /><br />“The cathedral have it logged as a drainage system. Not entirely sure why they decided to cover it up. <br /><br />"It was well documented, but not that many people around here know it. It’s been documented to the 14th century. <br /><br />"It would have been for a vicar. A lot of people implied a cult, but I thought it was like a kitchen sink.”<br /><br />Their home on Vicars Court is owned by Lincoln Cathedral and is believed to be the home of a former vicar. <br /><br />A Survey of Ancient Houses in Lincoln vol II: Houses to the South and West of the Minster in 1887 first recorded the carving as a “grotesque mask which forms the drain.”<br /><br />Tracy added: “We lived in number 4 before and didn’t find anything interesting there. We live down the road. <br /><br />"We moved here a month and a half ago which is why we didn’t explore that window sill. We have 12 rooms, it’s quite a large house. <br /><br />“Because we don’t own the house we can’t just pull down the wall. If we were to break something down the cathedral probably.<br /><br />“My plans for it are to just enjoy it because of how interesting it is. I have a desire to upkeep it. <br /><br />“Number 4 was definitely haunted, that’s why we ended up leaving. I haven’t seen it in this house. I had a lot of strange dreams there.<br /><br />“It makes it even more special. The house is so interesting, so I was almost expecting it to be honest.”
