A UNIQUE 200-year-old funeral hatchment has been returned to its owners by our Rural Engagement Team more than 30 years after it was stolen from a church.

PC Dane Wyatt was on a routine visit to Sworders fine art auctioneers in Stansted Mountfitchet to discuss heritage crime when he was told about the hatchment, a decorative diamond-shaped panel showing the coat of arms of Cecilia, widow of William Windham MP, who died in 1824.

Dane says: “I check in with auctioneers across the county because thieves may try to dispose of valuable items in this way.

“During the visit, one of the staff members told me about the funeral hatchment, which was stolen from St Margaret’s Church on the Felbrigg Hall Estate in Norfolk in 1993.

“Norfolk Police had made some initial inquiries but we took over the case. The churchwardens had been alerted by the Heraldry Society, which keeps a database and image library of funeral heraldry.

“After Historic England assisted with identification, I recovered the hatchment from the seller, who had bought it in good faith around 20 years ago.

“Then, happily, I was able to deliver it safely back to its legal guardians.

“Now it’s been reunited with the family’s three remaining hatchments in the church, where they can once again be appreciated as part of the area’s rich heritage.”

A spokesperson for Sworders said: “We are very proud to have assisted PC Wyatt and the Rural Engagement Team in their work.

“The Cecilia Windham funeral hatchment is now safely back where it belongs.

“This partnership plays a vital role in protecting the region’s artistic and architectural legacy.”

Our rural engagement officers are the force leads on heritage crime. Dane explains:

“It is important to protect our history and culture and we take crimes such as this very seriously.

“When historic artefacts and buildings, monuments, or archaeological sites are damaged or stolen from, we lose valuable parts of our shared past. These places help tell the story of our communities and once they’re gone or ruined, we can’t get them back.

“The Rural Engagement Team is working with auction houses across Essex to close off one of the avenues thieves have to dispose of their stolen goods.”

Tell police what you know

Heritage crime is any illegal activity that harms the value of our historic or cultural assets.
While thefts in Essex are rare, sadly, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson at historical sites are more common.
The Essex Police Rural Engagement Team reviews suspected heritage crimes reported to police.
Officers investigate reports of stolen artefacts and review incidents of damage and anti-social behaviour – such as illegal metal-detecting, graffiti and fly-tipping – to identify opportunities for prevention.
They then work with owners, partner agencies and community groups to design out the problem from happening again. And they will target dedicated patrols and enforcement at hotspot locations.
So please, tell police what you know. You can report information about any crime or anti-social behaviour online at www.essex.police.uk/ro or you can ring 101.