Vandalism? Systematic theft? Or site safety?

[James3]

Like other users of the Green Spaces I am upset to see the worsening state of many of the graves and monuments in both Churchyard and Rest Garden.

In the past I had blamed this on mindless vandalism. But I'm coming to the conclusion that something else is going on.

I haven't posted an image here before so if the following doesn't show (it didn't in the preview):


… then please follow this link to view the image: http://img44.yfrog.com/i/n9b.jpg/

This is an artefact I found lying next to one of the graves in the Rest Garden. I have taken it home for safekeeping. But I'd like to pass it on so that it can be stored in the "tool crypt" for a time when it can be restored to its rightful place.

This lying figure should be on the cornice moulding of the pediment of one of the Rest Garden's tombs (three similar figures are still in situ).

(A slightly pedantic note: I am using the term 'tomb' rather loosely. Church monuments of this era are mostly ornamental, the actual grave lies beneath the stone structure, so the bodies are not literally 'entombed'.)

While trying to identify the grave I realised the walls of the tomb chest are missing. Then I recalled resting my arm on that same tomb only a month or so ago. It has lost about two feet in height. Which explains why I couldn't find an inscription.

I then remembered being similarly perplexed in the churchyard last year, seeing a bunch of kids sitting on a tomb that I was sure it used to be three or four feet higher.

Figures falling from pediments … pediments prized from the ground with sticks … broken architectural stone and tombs with missing chests … what is going on? I think we can rule out vandalism. What I want to know is, are the chest walls being removed for safety reasons by the council (if so, they've done a rather messy job of it)? Or is somebody stealing ornamental stone to order?

[James3]

Simon Bannister has arranged to collect the artefact. He assures me that that particular monument had its facing stonework removed some decades ago.

I'm still (reasonably) convinced that one or two other monuments in the area are shorter than they once were but I don't have photographic evidence to back up my claim.

Some years ago I lived in York. One morning the City awoke to find an entire pavement of York stone, near the Minster, had been stolen. As a consequence, I'm probably a bit more paranoid about masonry theft than I should be

[Bob Young]

James:
I have quite a lot of photographs of monuments in the Rest Garden which I've taken over the past two or three years. So if you can identify the monument/s you suspect of being shorter, perhaps we can establish things one way or another.
-- Bob Young.

[Karim Hyatt]

Thanks James, I will also be on the lookout for suspected tomb raiders (sorry!)