Haining decapitation angers community council head
Haining decapitation angers community council head
Vandalised statues were removed by Roy Hall, George Cowan and Alan Beattie. photograph: alastair watson
COMMUNITY council chairman Gordon Edgar has slammed vandals who targeted the Haining Estate - bequeathed along with its mansion to the people of Selkirkshire by owner Andrew Nimmo-Smith who died last year, aged 83.
And Mr Edgar described youngsters who allegedly decapitated one of the old statues on the terrace of the 18th-century Palladian-style house as "disgraceful".
He told Monday's meeting that since the start of the school holidays another life-sized sculpture had been pushed from its plinth and windows broken at the house.
"It is being used as a drinking den and presumably the perpetrators are under the influence when they cause such damage," said Mr Edgar.
He was given his council's unanimous endorsement in appealing to the culprits and, more specifically, their parents in a bid to stop further destruction at the site.
He added: "I want to make a direct appeal to parents to know where their children are at night and dissuade them from actions which amount to an insult to the memory of Mr Nimmo-Smith and his magnificent act of generosity.
"When he was alive, he was good enough to encourage people to enjoy the estate and then, when he died, to leave it all for the benefit of people in Selkirkshire and beyond. This is not how he should be repaid."
He had been told of the damage by Susan Edington, one of the executors of Mr Nimmo-Smith's estate and a trustee of the Haining Charitage Trust which is spearheading plans to turn the house into a major visitor attraction.
After surveying the damage on Monday, Mrs Edington told The Wee Paper that management staff, who had previously safeguarded the property during the day, would now operate around the clock.
Describing the vandalism as "appalling", she revealed she had now contacted a local company to install a CCTV security camera system as soon as possible.
On Wednesday, contractors were called in to remove all the statues to a place of safekeeping.
It is the latest expense incurred by the executors of a gift which also includes 150 acres of ground and 1million in cash.
"I had heard reports from residents in the stable block of marauding youngsters under 18, drinking Buckfast and hanging around near the house late at night," said Mrs Edington.
"With the big house empty I had always feared for the statues and I'm afraid those fears have been justified. It is all very sad."
And she claimed further damage could delay or even compromise the plans for the house and the estate.
"At present, the trust is charged to come up with a viable scheme and business plan before The Haining can be transferred by the executors and all this unnecessary expense is definitely not helping."
However, she said at least one scheme had been identified and would be revealed at a special Heritage Day in September when the public would, for the first time, be able to tour the house.
Andrew Keddie
andrewkeddie@tweeddalepress.co.uk
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Weather for Selkirk
Sunday 12 February 2012
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