The Grade II listed Lytch gate doors at St. Andrew’s Church, Ham Common have been stolen, it was revealed today.
The historic doors, which served as a memorial to Queen Victoria, disappeared earlier this month.
The police are in restoration the heartless theft.
The Vicar of St. Andrew’s, Rev Alice Pettit told Teddington Town: “It was a sad shock to realise the gates were gone. Their value to the community in terms of history, memory and function is much more than any monetary value someone might hope to gain by taking them.
“We have been grateful to receive messages of support and sympathy from many of our neighbours.”
On a local Facebook page local residents have been upset and angry about the theft but also remembering together how many generations of their families have walked through these gates for services, Remembrance Day, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, funerals and to visit the graves of their loved ones.
“They are part of people’s memories of Ham and the fabric of their parish church which has been at the heart of the community since 1831.”
The church has people to ‘keep a a look out’
for the doors which a feature a silver A on one side and a silver S on the other.
If you spot them abandoned, listed for sale online, or at local scrap yards, notify the church immediately.
Contact the Parish if you
have any information regarding the theft or witnessed suspicious activity around Church Road, reach out directly to the parish using the St Andrew’s Church Contact Page.
You can report information or sightings to the Metropolitan Police (reference CAD 2623/15JUN or local Richmond police teams). [1, 2]
A spokesperson said; “We are very sad to say that the doors to the Lytch gate were stolen last week.
“They were Grade II listed and a memorial to Queen Victoria. If you see them abandoned or for sale please let us know.”
The missing gates were built in Devember 1908 to commemorate the reign of Queen Victoria.
They were designed and built by G.Widdowson of Richmond. £82
Gates provided by J.W.Harker and designed by Eldridge and Sons £65
Built by Rooke local builder.
In 1991 new Lytch gates made of oak from Richmond Park in the great storm of October 1987, but retaining the existing metal work (following the great storm of 1990)
R and V Purvis Carpentry and D.Hammond carried out the metalwork.
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