| MORE THAN 100 16th-century tiles from the porch floor of St Peter’s, Crostwick, in Norfolk, have been stolen. The tiles are believed to date from 1504, when the porch was built.
The Rector , the Revd Andrew Beane, described the theft as “strange”, because the tiles are not particularly valuable. He believes they may have been stolen to order. “We’ve had a lot of lead thefts in the area in the past, but I’ve never heard of a floor being stolen.
“They are really very ordinary pennant tiles, and only worth between £5 and £10 each. They weren’t really anything special. But, of course, they are significant to Crostwick, and people have walked back and forth over them for centuries. It seems that this was a planned theft, as the church is isolated and at the end of an unlaid road.”
Despite the disappointment caused by the theft, Mr Beane said, the congregation had been greatly encouraged by the response of the local community. “The Dereham Tile Centre has offered to donate new tiles, and a local builder has offered to lay them for free.
“We had an open day over the Bank Holiday weekend, and received £1300 in donations towards the repairs.”
Lead raids. Lead was stolen from the roof of St Peter’s, Henleaze, in Bristol, causing flooding in the church after heavy rain, the Bristol Evening Post reports. It is estimated that it will cost at least £40,000 to restore the roof, which has been targeted three times by thieves in the past fortnight.
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