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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Stone theft |
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jun 29, 2015, 09:58
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Something to look out for? http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/27/yorkshire-stone-thieves-region-heritage I recall theft of sarsens was a problem on the Marlborough Downs a while back. Anyone know of any pilfering at sites?
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Kid Calamity 9044 posts |
Jun 29, 2015, 13:48
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That's appalling! I accidentally caught the last few minutes of Top Gear, last night - only to see those overpaid twerps tearing up countryside on 4x4s and then smash a large chunk of drystone wall out. Blimey, I got all 'Angry of Pinner', for the rest of the evening.
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Howburn Digger 986 posts |
Jun 29, 2015, 20:56
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I first visited the place back in the late 80's and spent a wonderful sunny Spring day there again in 1994. Not prehistoric but a very early christian site in The West Of Scotland. Back in the early 90's it had most of its rubble walls standing (to 12 feet high or so) and was home to many beautifully carved stones at the building's corners and windows, celtic knotwork grave slabs, a cross base and intricate detailing and carvings, a trefoil arch and font. There was a possible Neolithic hand carving built into one of the walls. It sat in a forest clearing in short, deer and sheep-cropped grass close to the road. I returned last year after a gap of about twenty years. The site looked like a demolition crew had went to work on it about a decade ago and left without carting everything away. Walls lay as piles of rubble. I couldn't find the hand carving in the area where it should have been. A much smaller church out-building still stood but Nature had been allowed to invade its stonework and had commenced seriously prising the remaining walls apart with tree-growth. I don't know if it was Time and Gravity which caused the immense damage to the main church walls. Or a stone quarrier with a sledgehammer looking to collect themself an ornate historical rockery for their garden. The Royal Commission visited in 1970 according to Canmore. Maybe it is "managed decline" (like what Thatcher had decided for Liverpool). I haven't named the site here for fear of the bleeding obvious.
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moss 2897 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 06:23
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Just noticed this, thieving bastards.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-33318759 There are churches up this way (North Yorks), that have beautiful Anglo-Saxon stuff in them, what is it with people that thieve, can you sell such stuff?
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Rhiannon 5291 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 07:24
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God that's so depressing, what is the matter with people. I've been to several places only to find out the thing I came to see has been nicked. It makes my blood boil. I see you're back on the internet then Moss?! I hope your move went well and you've managed to clear a space amongst the boxes to relax in!
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Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 08:22
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moss wrote: Just noticed this, thieving bastards.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-33318759 There are churches up this way (North Yorks), that have beautiful Anglo-Saxon stuff in them, what is it with people that thieve, can you sell such stuff? I've been going to more churches and small chapels in Cornwall that I ever have before in Cornwall during the past year and am constantly amazed at how trusting some still are with regard to the valuable assets on display in this day and age. Maybe it speaks well for us but there is a lot of temptation out there for those who literally wander off the straight and narrow path to seek out these little chapels often hidden away.
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moss 2897 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 09:42
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Rhiannon wrote: God that's so depressing, what is the matter with people. I've been to several places only to find out the thing I came to see has been nicked. It makes my blood boil. I see you're back on the internet then Moss?! I hope your move went well and you've managed to clear a space amongst the boxes to relax in! Hi Rhiannon, the internet is settling in, goes offline every now and then, no mobile phone reception though. Hunting through boxes is quite exciting by the way ;) Given the somewhat different things that lie around the churches here compared to Wiltshire, and like Howburn Digger, I am not giving names, the Viking stuff such as gravestones would need a crane. If I had an incantation to call up the Viking 'Berserkers' I would. What of course is worrying, is how our blogs when we write and post photos affect the mindset of these creatures, do they trawl/troll through websites, is Pastscape an easy plundering spot?
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moss 2897 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 09:48
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Sanctuary wrote: moss wrote: Just noticed this, thieving bastards.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-33318759 There are churches up this way (North Yorks), that have beautiful Anglo-Saxon stuff in them, what is it with people that thieve, can you sell such stuff? I've been going to more churches and small chapels in Cornwall that I ever have before in Cornwall during the past year and am constantly amazed at how trusting some still are with regard to the valuable assets on display in this day and age. Maybe it speaks well for us but there is a lot of temptation out there for those who literally wander off the straight and narrow path to seek out these little chapels often hidden away. Most of us have respect for these places of course Roy, locking the church door means someone has to have the key, and it is quite a rigmarole just for the keyholder and the visiting person to go through. Perhaps the church officials have to come up with a solution, opening the doors on a certain day and having someone in attendance, or of course security measures which just cost money....
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tjj 3606 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 11:36
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moss wrote: Just noticed this, thieving bastards.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-33318759 There are churches up this way (North Yorks), that have beautiful Anglo-Saxon stuff in them, what is it with people that thieve, can you sell such stuff? How depressing. Old churches, even rebuild churches hold so much history for anyone who has the time to look. I have friends who 'don't do churches' and I used to feel like that myself. I visited a church earlier this week whilst out walking in south Wiltshire (as you wisely advise I won't name it) - it had a Saxon stone similar, though smaller, to the one in your link. It had been part of a Saxon cross and is now cemented into the wall of the current church building. There was also a very fine early Norman font there - which tend not get stolen as are too heavy. Its always a pleasure to find an unlocked village church, holding the history of the community often dating back over 1000 years.
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Hob 4033 posts |
Jul 03, 2015, 13:24
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Millstone roughouts have been targets for a while up here, but walling is taking things to a new level. It's also possible that a few years back, we had a cupmarked stone snaffled up at Hazelrigg in Northumberland. No-one has been able to find it recently, and it was in plain view. Afaik, it was last photographed by the late great Mr Brouwer: http://ukra.jalbum.net/brac/England/Northumberland/Hazelrigg%20-Chatton/index.html#hazelrigg-1.03.am.ba.2.jpg
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