| MONUMENTS IN THE NEWS |
If you find any articles on, or related to, church monuments, be they informative, interesting, gruesome, amusing, silly or even down right wrong, in newspapers, magazines, radio, television etc, please send me information at churchmonumentssociety@aol.com
Please note that actual articles are often quoted as they were written and neither the style, content nor opinion are necessarily those of the Publicity Officer or Church Monuments Society. They will be kept on this page until the end of the year in which they appeared and then archived.
Earlier articles may be found archived here: Past Material
04-09-12. West Mercia Police 30-08-12
Stone Plaque Stolen From Herefordshire Church Police in
Herefordshire are appealing for information from the public as they
investigate a theft from a church in the county. The incident
occurred at Abbeydore Church sometime between 7am on Sunday 26
August and 12.45pm on Tuesday 28 August. Sometime during the time
period in question it appears that thieves entered the church -
which is left open for visitors during the day - and approached a
stone burial plaque that is on the wall inside. This stone burial
plaque has been stolen from Abbeydore ChurchIt appears the thieves
then removed the stone plaque from the metal brackets that held it
in place and made off with it. The metal brackets were left in place
so it appears the thieves came prepared and used tools of some sort
to remove the plaque from the wall. A police spokesman said: "The
stolen burial plaque commemorates Bishop of Hereford John De Breton
and is extremely unusual. The value of the plaque is not known but
due to its age it is essentially irreplaceable. "Local churchgoers
are devastated by the theft of this stone and we are very keen to
find not only the stone itself, but also the individual or
individuals responsible for stealing it. "Removing the stone from
the wall would not have been a straightforward job
and therefore it
appears likely that more than one person was involved in this theft.
"We have released an image of the burial stone today in the hope
that someone recognises it and might provide us with information
that helps us return it to its rightful home. "Anyone with
information about this theft is asked to contact police officers in
Hereford on 101 or 0300 333 3000, quoting incident number 83N
280812. "Alternatively, please remember Crimestoppers can also be
called anonymously on 0800 555 111 if you'd rather leave information
without identifying yourself." Issued: Thursday 30 August 2012
photographs used by kind permission of Cameron Newnham
18-03-12. The Times Saturday 10/01/12 p 87. An excellent article by member David Meara extolling the virtues of church monuments as well as discussing the work of the Church Monuments Society and the launch of the new Guide Book competition. The article is illustrated with a photograph of the Beauchamp Chapel at St Mary's Church, Warwick
16-02-12. BBC2 The 30 minute programme, Britain's Heritage Heroes has a section of the tomb and effigy of Blanche Mortimer at Much Marcle; this should be available to see again on BBC i-Player (information from Dr Clive Easter)
 18-05-12 The Times 11/05/12 reports
the theft of a head from a monument at Coleford,
Gloucestershire.
The monument is of the thirteenth century and actually in All
Saints' Church, Newland, near Coleford and is said to be of a former
rector Robert de Wakering; he was the founder of the church and
installed by King John. (information from Dr Clive Easter)Futher information supplied by and photograph used by kind permission of Cameron Newnham 20-05-12 BBC on line News-Hereford & Worcestershire 18/05/12 Stone Statue of Knight Stolen from Ledbury Church. The articles continues stating that the effigy, which measured 22cms X 15cms was stolen from St Michael's Church, Castle Frome, Near Ledbury, Herefordshire. The article continued stating that the thieves obviously brought along the correct tools to carry |
out this theft and that the
minature effigy was probably stolen to order. Pevsner describes this monument as reset on the SE chancel window and as a bust, small, crisply carved, wearing mail and holding his heart. Mark Downing in Military Effigies of England and Wales, Volume 3, dates it between 1280-1300 and identifies it as possibly Adam de Lacy (d. 1297). He includes a photograph which shows that it is indeed a bust set vertically on the window sill. (information from Cameron Newnham). Photograph kindly supplied by Sally Badham and used with permission |