loose bricks in a wall
From India to the Balkans there are many legends and ballads telling of women who were walled up alive - troublesome wives, or virgins immured in the foundations of a new building to bring good fortune. In England too, in the guidebooks to medieval castles you can find similar stories. Here, someone has taken pity on the woman and set her free; the bricks hurriedly piled into the opening in the wall will not fool anyone for long, but may give the woman and her rescuer a precious few hours' start.
from Days and Nights in W12 by Jack Robinson

footnote: It's not often the post brings anything of interest these days, but I've had a couple of pleasant surprises recently. Firstly some very nice music and a thought-provoking book from a good friend, then, last week a couple of titles hot off the press of CB Editions, a small publishing venture recently set up by a friend in London. The above is from his own book, modestly described as 'a book of idle speculation, unlikely stories and occasional history lessons prompted by dull photographs of Shepherd’s Bush, London W12'. I enjoyed it greatly, and was touched by the fact that he sent it as a way of thanking me for the pleasure this blog has given him.