Nighthawkers raid ‘haunted’ Henry VIII fort with metallic detector for artefacts

Police have launched an image of somebody they’d prefer to have a chat with after nighthawks stole artefacts from a “haunted” fort as soon as residence to one among Henry VIII’s wives.

Six folks broke into and raided Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon with a metallic detector – stealing objects and inflicting “irreversible” harm to the encircling space, based on cops.

English Heritage mentioned round 10 patches of grass had been discovered to have been lifted and positioned again “under the cover of darkness” throughout the raid on Sunday, January 28.

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The web site close to Totnes was constructed within the late fifteenth Century and have become residence to the Seymour household. Jane Seymore was the third spouse of Henry VIII.

Nighthawking is the theft of archaeological artefacts from protected archaeological websites and areas, and is illegitimate. People discovered responsible of offences below the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 can obtain a considerable high quality and be despatched to jail.

PC Julian Fry, Rural Affairs Officer for Devon and Cornwall Police, mentioned: “Nighthawking is the theft of archaeological artefacts from protected archaeological sites and areas.

“This incident occurred within the early hours of Sunday morning below the quilt of darkness. We are presently working intently with consultants from Historic England and English Heritage as a part of our enquiries.

“We would like to identify the person pictured as they may have valuable information which could assist us. If you have any information, we want to hear from you. Please contact us via 101 or on our website quoting 50240022553.

“The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 affords detailed safety for nationally necessary websites similar to Berry Pomeroy Castle and individuals discovered responsible of offences below this act can obtain a considerable high quality, a time period of imprisonment or each.”

Win Scutt, Senior Properties Curator at English Heritage, said: “Staff arriving on Sunday morning discovered a lot of holes dug into the positioning, together with scattered garbage. Damage triggered to the archaeology of scheduled monuments by unauthorised use of metallic detectors is taken severely by the regulation and by the police, who’re interesting for data.

“The damage caused by unskilled digging of holes on a nationally important site like this is irreversible. We shall never know how much knowledge has been lost about the history of Berry Pomeroy Castle due to this disturbance of the buried archaeology.

“Berry Pomeroy Castle was constructed as a defended residence of the Pomeroy household within the fifteenth Century and later had a big Elizabethan home constructed inside its partitions. It is among the largest and most spectacular castles in south west England.

“Because of this importance, it is protected as a Scheduled Monument and is also in the Guardianship of the Secretary of State and in the care of English Heritage.”

Information may also be handed anonymously to unbiased charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111, or through www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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