It鈥檚 probably one of the only dungeons in Chilliwack, and it was built just in time for Halloween.
Rob Forde recently transformed a crawl space corridor into a dungeon for homeowners Sherri and Mark Gore. But the Gores鈥� home isn鈥檛 your typical house 鈥� it鈥檚 a custom-built castle.
They prefer an old and rustic look, not new white walls with straight edges, Mark said. Their home has been a work-in-progress for the past seven years and they moved into it a year ago. When Forde saw the castle, it was the both the exterior and interior that gave him inspiration to create the dungeon.
The corridor, which is now a dungeon, is a small area with 10-foot high ceilings that leads to the Gores鈥� crawl space.
At the top of the stairs leading down to the dark space, the words 鈥渂eware la oubliette鈥� are carved into the ceiling. 鈥楲a oubliette鈥� is French for 鈥榩it dungeon,鈥� Forde said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the most famous kind of dungeon, the kind where they just throw the guys in the pit and then walk away,鈥� he said.
It took about three months for Forde to transform the space. He used a variety of items like a metal gate and a lock that were just lying in the Gores鈥� crawl space, plus a shield they had. Forde found other things at auctions, used beams of wood from a local barn that was torn down, and got his hands on a 鈥榯ongue鈥� from a horse wagon that he used as a stairway railing.
What looks like a stone-carved ceiling is actually Styrofoam that鈥檚 been cut out and painted grey. A wooden bowl sitting on a table for the 鈥榩risoner鈥� is actually an old cheese press from a Dutch family in Yarrow.
Forde even etched names in a beam like Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin.
鈥淭hey all spent time in here,鈥� Mark joked.
Many items were incredibly hard to find, but bit by bit, it finally came together.
鈥淏ringing everything together to create something that鈥檚 from 500 years ago, that鈥檚 the key,鈥� Forde said.
They call it a 鈥楧isney dungeon鈥� 鈥� a place that鈥檚 scary, but not too scary. And it鈥檚 not just a uniquely designed space, it鈥檚 also functional.
On one door, Forde used an old piece of logging chain and a deer antler for a handle. It seems like the door would lead to an underground tunnel, but when you open it up all that鈥檚 visible is a piece of plywood and water pipes with shut-off valves.
鈥淎ll of this is mean to be practical, so they can access their water shut-off and it鈥檚 nice and safe, but at the same time have fun with it,鈥� Forde said.
They connected about three years ago when the Gores were looking for a shield and found one that Forde was selling for $50.
鈥淚 really like weird stuff,鈥� Mark said. He added that he and his wife often find things that no one else wants, which brings the cost down quite a bit.
Forde has been transforming private basements and garages into mini pubs and other unique spaces for years.
READ MORE:
The Gores invited Forde into their castle home a few years ago and Forde threw ideas at them. The Gores liked his suggestions and so he did a few small projects including an arched ceiling and a door, but the dungeon is his biggest project in their home.
鈥淓very castle has a dungeon,鈥� Forde said.
He鈥檚 been to about 10 castles in Ireland, England and Scotland which is where he got most of his ideas to create 鈥榣a oubliette.鈥� Sherri also threw some great, creative ideas at him, Forde added.
But, he wouldn鈥檛 let the family see it while he was working on it.
鈥淗e hid it from us until the finale,鈥� Gore added.
Forde used a blanket in the doorway leading down to the crawl space so the Gores couldn鈥檛 see what was going on in the dungeon.
鈥淚 wanted to have some kind of a reveal because that鈥檚 what they do on TV. That鈥檚 the funnest part.鈥�
Forde finished the dungeon in time for the Gores to show it to family and friends for Halloween.
