Report this comment
  • "
    Magritte wrote:
    But, surely, this is Art? Maybe 'Banksy' was in town? I mean…. This must be a 'post-mediaeval conceptual installation frameworked in a Heritage setting featuring satirical street art and subversive epigrams whilst combining irreverent dark humour with graffiti done with a distinctive technique. Such artistic works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world and epitomise the beauty and compassion featured by the iconic cultural hegemony of wilfully opaque critical discourse’
    Yeah!"
  • This field is mandatory
  • This field is mandatory

  • Please note we will not accept reports with HTML tags or URLs in them.


  • Enter the above word in the box below

Please be fair, courteous and respectful to the views of others so we can build a vibrant community in a safe online environment. You are personal liable for your comments and action will be taken against anyone who offends, ridicules or posts malicious and damaging views. If you wish to complain, please contact us.

Graffiti branded ‘an attack on York’s heritage’

10:04am Friday 13th April 2012 in News

An onlooker inspects some of the graffiti in the remains of St Leonard’s Hospital An onlooker inspects some of the graffiti in the remains of St Leonard’s Hospital

VANDALS have daubed offensive graffiti on one of York’s oldest medieval ruins, writes Hannah Bryan.

The slogans, written in thick black spray paint and marker pen, repeatedly accused an unknown person named as “Sam” of rape and being a “woman beater”.

The culprits scrawled along the entire wall of the undercroft of St Leonard’s Hospital in Museum Gardens, which dates back to the 13th century. The damage has been condemned by both police and a leading conservationist in the city.

The hospital was the largest in England in the Middle Ages, with remains stretching as far as the Theatre Royal in St Leonard’s Place.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “This is a disgusting attack on York’s heritage and those responsible should be deeply ashamed of what they have done.

“If someone knows who carried out the graffiti attack, they are urged to do the right thing and contact police or Crimestoppers without delay.”

Philip Thake, chief executive of York Conservation Trust, condemned the vandalism as “disgraceful”. He said: “These people must be mindless - they do not know how to appreciate the heritage we have in this city.

“Do they not realise we are living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world? Because it is done straight onto the stone it will be hard to remove as it will have penetrated quite deep.”

Tourists visiting the ruins have also expressed their disbelief at the vandalism. Lorraine Holm, visiting York for the day from Doncaster, said: “It’s such a shame, there’s so much history here and they’ve completely ruined it.”

Holidaymaker John Andrews, from Cambridgeshire, said: “It’s just horrible, it’s so shocking. They have got no respect for anything. It’s going to take some cleaning to get it off.”

The Press approached York Museums Trust, but it had not commented by the time this story went to press.

Anyone who can help with the investigation should phone North Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Local Businesses

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree