Flagstones stolen from hall built in the 1400s
THIEVES stole thousands of pounds of paving stones from the grounds of a historic hall.
A police investigation has been launched after around 50 Yorkstone flags were taken from the footpaths in the gardens around Hopwood Hall last week.
Hall owner and actor Hopwood Depree, who moved from Hollywood to Middleton to renovate his 600-yearold ancestral home, says the value of the stolen stone is not known, but reclaimed Yorkstone paving can sell for around £100 a square metre.
Hopwood, who has put up a £500 reward for information which leads to the return of the stones, described the theft as ‘very upsetting’ and a ‘blow to the project’. He said: “It’s incredibly upsetting, especially given we have had the friends group in the garden. We have been working so hard to bring the gardens back and try to restore them An act like this is just senseless and really can’t be tolerated. It’s very upsetting for the whole community.
“These are centuries-old stones that were laid by people in the community, it’s just really unfortunate. But we’re very hopeful that with security camera footage and tips from the public that we will be able to track down the stones and return them.”
Hopwood says the theft only strengthens his determination to restore the hall to its former glory. He said: “In a project like this there are always going to be ups and downs. It’s a massive project and a massive effort for a lot of people. When we do get bad luck like this it is challenging, but it just inspires me to continue on even more, because I really want to see this hall restored and brought back to its original grandeur.”
The thefts were first reported to police on Tuesday, December 1.
An investigation has been launched, but no arrests have been made yet.
It’s being linked to similar stone thefts at the Boars Head pub and St Leonard’s Church in Middleton in late-November. The Hopwood family are believed to have lived on the estate as far back as the 12th century with the building itself dating back to the early 1400s.