MINDLESS vandals have attacked an
historic church in Annesley which is being restored.
Annesley Old Church, which has links
with Lord Byron and D.H. Lawrence, was targeted earlier this month and large
pieces of stone work were ripped from a wall some time between 5th and 9th
January.
The damage is going to cost
‘thousands of pounds’ to repair and will delay the project by at
least a week.
Site foreman Peter Howes said he
believed adults rather than children were responsible because the stones are so
heavy and they were fixed securely.
He said: “What I can’t
understand is why there is no damage anywhere else - the graves are all right.
It’s just constantly on that wall.
“It’s going to cost
thousands of pounds to put right and more than likely they will come and do
some more damage.”
He also fears that if people who are not
authorised to access the site do so, they could also hurt themselves.
The site has previously been targeted by
vandals in July 2009 and then again in August last year when vandals destroyed
the same stretch of wall.
Ashfield District Council secured
£450,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the church which dates back
to 1356 and is mentioned in D.H. Lawrence’s 1911 novel The White Peacock.
Local history expert Dick Starr, from
the Friends of Annesley Church group, said: “It’s obviously a
historic site along with Annesley Hall. If they are caught, they ought to pay
for it.”
Meanwhile, deputy leader of Ashfield
District Council John Wilmott also criticised those responsible for the damage.
He said: “This is part of
Ashfield’s heritage and it is fantastic that organisations and Ashfield
District Council officers have worked so hard to get the funding to preserve
this building.
“I just pray and hope that these
people are caught and brought to account.”
His views were echoed by Annesley ward
councillors Helen Smith and Don Davis.
Coun Smith said that the project should
be instilling pride in people because it would bring tourists to the area.
She added: “We will be replacing
these stones and if the council finds out who has done this, we will be
prosecuting them.”
And Coun Davis said: “It just
beggars belief that someone could do that. We are trying to do some good work
here - I can’t understand why anyone would do this.”
The church held its last service in 1942
and was sold to the council in 1981. Restoration work began on 5th September
last year.
Anyone with information can contact
Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
From: http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/alfreton/historic_annesley_church_is_hit_by_vandals_1_4148426
