Thursday, August 13, 2009

Statue thieves force wine writer to close historic garden to public

A world renowned wine writer has been forced to close his historic garden to the public after thieves struck for the second time this year.
Hugh Johnson, 70, is considered by many to be the world's pre-eminent writer on wine, publishing several best-selling books on the subject.
He has owned the 12-acre garden at Saling Hall, in Essex, since 1971.
With his wife Judy, he has restored the plot over the decades and has opened it every year to visitors during May, June and July as part of the National Gardens Scheme.
He said today he will no longer open the garden because he believes the thieves "cased" it during one of his public days.
They stole two sculptures worth thousands of pounds on 26 July as well as four granite columns.
In May Mr Johnson, who was awarded the OBE in 2007 for services to winemaking and horticulture, offered a £1,000 reward after thieves stole a 17th-century astronomical sphere and valuable urns from the site.
The statue of FloraMr Johnson, who has written The World Atlas of Wine since 1971, said: "It is the second robbery we've had, I'm sad to say. The first theft was earlier in the year. We will not be able to open the garden to the public in the same way as it was before."
He added: "We're having valuations done on the items that were stolen, but whatever happens, it's quite considerable to me."
Announcing the theft on his website, he wrote: "Desperados turned up at dusk with a lorry intending to clear out what was left."
Saling Hall in EssexHe added: "They loaded up, among other things, the most precious object in the garden, the statue we call Flora that has stood in the centre of the walled garden since 1974. "The fellows then raided the potting shed, stealing, rather surprisingly, our packets of seeds and our plant food."
He said that as well as the 18th-century statue of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, the stolen items included another sculpture depicting two wrestlers. Mr Johnson, originally from St John's Wood, said he believed the statue of Flora, for which he was prepared to offer a reward of £4,000, has already been melted down for scrap metal.
He wrote: "The thought that she may by now be £300 worth of lead sheet is not pretty. People who were visiting the garden came and cased the area. Considering what was taken, there was definitely more than one of them."
He said of his decision to end the public days: "It's sad because this garden has been open for nearly 40 years." He added: "People who still want to come to the garden will be able to apply for a visit but because of what's happened, there will be no more public open days."
The garden dates from 1698 and the present vast woodland plot was started in 1936 by previous owner Lady Carlyle, who lived there until 1970.
A spokesman for Essex police said: "On the night of the 26 July there were reports of a robbery at Saling Hall. We are appealing for anyone with information to come forward."

(Reproduced from The London Evening Standard Aug 13th)

GARDIEN TIP: Access to the garden should be made as difficult as possible and bollards can be used to prevent the close approach of vehicles. Valuable outdoor items require special consideration as per the advice at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/garden-antiques-security.aspx

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