Boltholes
ˈbōltˌhōl/
noun
plural noun:
boltholes
a place where a person can escape and hide.“he thought of Antwerp as a possible bolthole” BRITISHa hole or burrow by which a rabbit or other wild animal can escape.
In HLV, we learn of Sherlock’s boltholes for the first time. I don’t think any of us were surprised to learn that Sherlock had places no one knew about, where he could hide, lay low, whatever. But, that’s the interesting bit right there: apparently everyone knew about them?
What’s the point of having a hiding place that’s not secret?
The thing is, I think they are secret. Even still. How?
Because they are all in his mind palace. Because I believe they are all part of his mind palace.
Where has Sherlock been in his mind palace?
- The Underground (TEH)
- The Courtroom (TSoT)
- Baker Street (TSoT)
- A Morgue (TSoT)
- Mycroft’s Office (HLV)
- Roland-Kerr Further Education College (HLV)
- A Padded Cell (HLV)
*I’m sure I’m missing some there, and if I am, please, let me know. :)
Then we get the mention of all of Sherlock’s boltholes after he’s escaped hospital (improbable). That everyone, right down to Mrs Hudson, knows about these places where Sherlock can hide, just seems to defeat the purpose for me. Unless…these are all mentioned after Sherlock has been shot and in a time where I believe that Sherlock is indeed unconscious and this is all taking place in his mind palace anyway.
Is it possible- or even plausible- that these ‘boltholes’ are still more areas of Sherlock’s mind palace?
- Parliament Hill- an area of open parkland in the south-east corner of Hampstead Heath in north-west London. The hill, which is 98 metres (322 ft) high, is notable for its views of the capital’s skyline. Many landmarks can be seen from its summit such as Canary Wharf, the Gherkin, the Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral. This hardly seems appropriate for a ‘bolthole’ or place to hide, quite the contrary. It’s a place that would allow Sherlock ‘to see’, London: to observe. You know, like maybe, try to get the ‘big picture’ in his mind?
- Camden Lock- or Hampstead Road Locks is a twin manually operated lock on the Regent’s Canal in Camden Town, London Borough of Camden. The twin locks together are “Hampstead Road Lock 1”; each bears a sign so marked. Hawley Lock andKentish Town Lock are a short distance away to the east; there are no nearby locks to the west. Again, not much of a place ‘to hide’. But, the added water metaphor here is interesting.
*ETA: this post by @longsnowsmoon5 and further amazing input by @tjlcisthenewsexy regarding water and ‘two’ rivers and the Camden Lock.
- Dagmar Court -Housing association block built on the site of the Dagmar Arms (Public House) I suppose it’s possible that he owns one of the flats here? A simple flat seems to be so mundane in this list, though.
- The Blind Greenhouse in Kew Gardens -a glass building in which plants are grown that need protection from cold weather. I searched the Kew Gardens website and found nothing about ‘the blind greenhouse (if anyone has this info, please tag me or send me a link?) but there are loads of greenhouses on the property. Again, a greenshouse seems a terrible place to hide out???
- The Leaning Tomb in Hampstead Cemetery -the place for eternal rest, usually gated off because the ground has been consecrated. Again, I searched the Hampstead Cemetery site for any mention of a ‘leaning tomb’ and came up with nothing. Would Sherlock literally desecrate someone’s resting place, to hide from anything? Perhaps this is Sherlock’s ‘burial ground’ for those things he deletes.
- Molly’s bedroom- again, what kind of sense does this make as a bolthole? It’s possible he stayed with her directly after the fall, but when would he need to go there again?
- Behind the Clock Face of Big Ben- “I think he was probably joking.” I think so, too, because JOHN IS PRETTY DAMN SMART.
- Leinster Gardens- The empty houses that were demolished years ago to make way for the London Underground, a vent for the old steam trains. “That’s his number one bolt hole. It’s top-top secret.” And, we’re to believe ANDERSON, of all people, knows about this?? That Sherlock Holmes, as clever as they come, allowed Anderson to follow him and find out about this bolthole? Of all the boltholes mentioned in this episode, this is the only one that comes close to actually being what it says it is, imo. I can imagine Sherlock hiding out here, no one knowing about it. Hell, there’s even a lab set up you can see in the background. The thing is, there was no reason to have this confrontation. Sherlock could have just as easily (and more comfortably) had Mary come to Baker Street. Sherlock took all that time to set up the Leinster Gardens face-off, when he could just as easily have set something similarly up in Baker Street. John could have listened in over the phone from 221C. I’m sure they could have used the same sort of camera the assassins used in TRF. There was no need for it to have happened like that in Leinster Gardens (yes, I know, it goes with how the Moran deal went down) but still. Could Leinster Gardens be Sherlock’s mind palace where he goes to face the hard truths?
I understand the thought that this is ‘too much’, but it is Sherlock, and he is a drama queen.
Because of this post by @sherlock-little-weed. I’ve got boltholes on the brain again.
@monikakrasnorada, the boltholes have been bugging me for a long time and your analysis is on spot. I made a post here X about how we get a greenhouse (glasshouse) and a tomb in TAB which is clearly MP. And the whole Leinster Gardens layout is an impossibility X which would be no problem had they had not used a real structure everyone can research online or visit in London. There is no house, no hallway, no rooms, nothing but a wall.
I went looking for this Blind Greenhouse and came across a remark in Sherlock forum about it. I found this quote: “Blind Greenhouse – I would assume the word “blind” in this case refers to a greenhouse where the glass is covered with curtains to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the plants – which would also make the interior fairly private (unlike most greenhouses)“
’‘Blind’ has several meanings including “having or causing a lack of discernment or awareness.”
Looking over the buildings I came across the Orangery. Built in 1761, it was originally meant to house Oranges and other Citrus trees…but they made it too dark, so the trees were taken out.
ooh, thanks for bringing this back. in the notes, yan-yae mentions the idea that sherlock had particular places to hide depending on who he wanted teso find him, so maybe look into the metaphorical readings on those connections too.
and as always any mention of glass says glass closet to me, and the orangery is such a perfect example. was there a single person present for that best man speech who didn’t pick up on sherlock’s Big Secret?
reviewing the lists of locations in the op, they are each a range of sites, from underground to way up high (stairs code by @just-sort-of-happened ) private to public, if that matters. interesting that only some of them seem to exist in our world, i wonder if any of the ones that don’t are references to other adaptations in the Giant Lego Set Of Canon ™. i love that camden lock is all about controlling the flow of water=emotions! and the giant clock face, after TAB, we associate the pocket watch with the modern phone=heart.
testing whether there is a matching between the two lists, just in case that twigs anything.
the underground, and leinster gardens
the courtroom, and dagmar court?
baker st, and molly’s bedroom (since molly is a john mirror, and there’s that indication in ASIB that both boys were up in john’s room)
the morgue, and the tomb
mycroft’s bunker, and parliament hill?
roland kerr college and the padded cell don’t immediately suggest connections (to me) to any of the others, camden lock, the greenhouse, or big ben… i would be interested in anyone else’s thoughts!
@sarahthecoat I haven’t given the boltholes much thought yet but to me they are all to be understood metaphorically on the map of London, all as places inside of Sherlock’s mind.
First of all it’s interesting to note how the boltholes are presented and by whom:
- Lestrade knows about Parliament Hill, Camden Lock and Dagmar Court and he seems to be talking over his phone to Mycroft (?) as Mycroft is picking up the conversation in the next scene.
- Mycroft names the Blind Greenhouse and the leaning tomb in Hampstead Cemetery while observing over his laptop and talking to Lestrade in person.
- Molly is speaking directly into the camera as if she was interviewed and she is talking about a “spare bedroom” which turns out to be her bedroom.
- Mrs. Hudson is talking to John and knows about the bolthole behind the clock face of Big Ben.
- Lestrade’s sniffer-dog Anderson knows about the number one bolthole Leinster Gardens and is talking to Mary.
Some extra notes that could be of relevance:
Dagmar Court is located on the Isle of Dogs in London. The Blind Greenhouse seems like a foreshadowing for TAB. Hampstead Cemetery seems to be the location that inspired scenes on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (x). Cemeteries and tombstones were also featured on BBC Sherlock a couple of times (THoB, TRF, TEH, TAB, TST and TFP of course). But the way I understand it a tomb is not exactly a tombstone but a crypt? There don’t seem to be any crypts of relevance on Hampstead Cemetery, especially no leaning ones. Maybe this is to be understood metaphorically as well, as a grave that is ”wrong” somehow. And Hampstead Cemetery seems to be a victorian cemetery (x). Molly’s bedroom is also very interesting with Molly being a mirror for John and a “heterosexual cover” of sorts. And she seems to be talking to the audience here which is…funny considering S4 and TFP especially. Big Ben was featured both on ASiB (Moriarty standing in front of the clocktower while receiving the flight details from Irene and informing Mycroft) and TEH (exploding Palace of Westminster). Clocks are also very interesting as time seems to be ticking throughout BBC Sherlock as if something was coming. But we’re also frozen in time a couple of times, for example at the end of TFP. Then on Leinster Gardens are the empty houses Mary’s face is projected on, the facade for the London Underground.
I guess the boltholes are worthy a whole analysis, maybe somebody has already done that with the additional information given in S4.
@ebaeschnbliah Look, Dagmar Court is on the Isle of Dogs. 😉
Great comments, everyone. A metaphorical reading of those boltholes seems to be the most plausible explanation to me as well. Interesting that the Orangery at Mangham Park - a former greenhouse - has been chosen as set for the wedding reception, @tendergingergirl A greehouse that lacks sunlight as location for a wedding with a facade … a cover. Fits suspiciously well in my opinion. And the greenhous talk in TAB revolves around the same topic … romantic entanglements, impulses, mingling. :)
Five boltholes, says Mycroft. But then there are two more. Of course, the mention of the number five at once brings the possibility of five series to mind. Including TAB into that count … the blind greenhouse would represent the Special Christmas episode and the leaning tomb would refer to S4 … a sister turned into a ghost story and a tomb brought off balance, because of demons below the surface, can be easily connected. This would indicate that Molly’s bedroom and Big Ben’s clock face are references for a fifth series. Two for one? Maybe … in case Molly and Big Ben are mirrors for John and Jim … love and sex. Sherlock’s final challenge. That works nicely for the way I read the story … as does the involvement of the Isle of Dogs, @gosherlocked. :)))
rb for even more discussion.
also, i want to correct myself way up above, @the-7-percent-solution wrote stairs code, i just associate it with JSOH because she reblogged nearly all the meta in s3 semester, so i just read the whole blog back when i was a lurker.