1920s house - Anyone know what this is?!

[WillowB]

Seeking some mumsnet wisdom...Moved into a 1920s house a few months ago. Lots of original features but the house has been extended to the side to add a garage/kitchen extension.
This is on the wall at the foot of the stairs by the front door. I presumed it had been added to fill the space previously used as a window but I'm not so sure. A friend mentioned something about catholic families using them for holy water and to bless themselves when they leave/enter the house. Anyone seen one before?

These are in many old Irish houses anyway- holy water, rosary beads and a sacred heart painting with candle usually. Although no reason they couldn’t display anything else!

The people that bought my lovely Arts and Crafts house removed the original bookcases and put those plaster niches in with lights inside. It was done a lot in the 90's when people thought that foreign hotels were the thing to copy (brown bathroom wall tiles etc.). Could see them in the other houses when they had lights on and curtains opened.

Original ones were more solid, so depends what it is made of as to how old it is.

I would remove it if it wasn't original, late 80's/early 90's wasn't a great look for me.