230-year-old statue at National Trust Croome vandalised

Staff at Croome Court, near Pershore, were devastated to find that the Sabrina statue had been covered in blue marks.

Also ruined was the memorial of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who designed the mansion at the heart of the Croome parkland.

A spokesperson for the National Trust said: “We are shocked and very upset about the extensive defacement of the Sabrina statue and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown Memorial at Croome in Worcestershire.”

The statue was vandalised over the Easter weekend (Image: National Trust)

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The vandalism happened sometime during the property’s opening hours on Easter Saturday, April 8.

The National Trust is now working with experts to decide how to clean the Sabrina statue, designed by John Bacon.

“The overwhelming majority of visitors to Croome at the weekend were respectful to the place and to each other, enabling everyone to enjoy themselves and create wonderful memories with family and friends,” added the spokesperson.

“It is upsetting that the actions of a few mean that a beautiful historical statue and memorial cannot currently be enjoyed fully by visitors.

“We are taking expert advice about how best to clean the statue which is around 230 years old and was designed by the renowned 18th century sculptor, John Bacon.

“We will keep visitors updated as work progresses.”

The statue was designed by John Bacon (Image: National Trust)

The Sabrina statue, made of Coade stone, depicts the Roman Naiade, Sabrina.

It is disputed when it was created but is thought to be either in the mid-1780s or in 1802.

A sign has now been placed in front of the sculpture, reading: “We are utterly shocked at the vandalism to Sabrina.”

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The memorial to Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was also vandalised (Image: National Trust)

The Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown Memorial was also covered in blue marks.

Brown was commissioned by George William Coventry, the sixth earl of Coventry, in 1751 to redesign the house and its parkland.

It was his first large-scale commission and saw the local village relocated and the Medieval church replaced with a new Gothic church overlooking the land.

Brown died in February 1783 whilst returning home from dining with the Earl at his London home and the memorial was subsequently erected.

Blue marks have appeared all over the statue and memorial (Image: National Trust)