A set of gold rosary beads carried by Mary, Queen of Scots to her execution in 1587 are among treasures worth more than £1m stolen in a raid at Arundel castle.
Other items include coronation cups given by Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Earl Marshal and several gold and silver items. The items were taken from their display cases in a part of the castle that is open to the public.
The burglar alarm went off last Friday night at 10.30 P.M. and police were sent to the scene. They found an abandoned and burnt-out car nearby, which is thought to have been used in the raid.
“Police are seeking thieves who broke into Arundel castle and stole gold and silver items worth in excess of £1m,” a Sussex police spokesman said. “Various items have been stolen of great historical significance. These include the gold rosary beads carried by Mary Queen of Scots at her execution in 1587, several coronation cups given by the sovereign to the Earl Marshal of the day, and other gold and silver treasures.”
A spokesman for Arundel Castle Trustees said: “The stolen items have significant monetary value, but as unique artefacts of the Duke of Norfolk’s collection have immeasurably greater and priceless historical importance. We therefore urge anyone with information to come forward to the police to assist them in returning these treasures back where they belong.”
Devastating news from Arundel Castle. The utterly priceless rosary of Mary Queen of Scots has been stolen. After her execution these personal effects were sent to the Duke of Norfolk, Britain’s leading Catholic, whose descendants have kept it, until now. pic.twitter.com/58dQ74aVC5
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) May 24, 2021
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