Precious history smash and grab - 14th June 2021

Thieves have made off with in excess of £1 million in precious gold and silver artefacts, stolen from Arundel Castle in Sussex, England.

Among the treasures taken during the raid was a set of gold rosary beads. The prayer beads had belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, who carried them in her hands at her execution at Fotheringham Castle in 1587.

Arundel Castle had only recently begun welcoming visitors again after pandemic restrictions eased. Sussex Police revealed that the thieves had forced their way into the historic building through a window. They shattered the glass of a cabinet holding the rosary and other historic artefacts.

Despite it having "little intrinsic value as metal", the castle spokesman stated that the rosary was of "irreplaceable" historic value.

Reading University historian Professor Kate Williams provided some historical context involving the Queen of Scots. Mary still hoped to be Queen of England even after an unsuccessful attempt to regain her Scottish throne. This saw Mary flee to England seeking the protection of her cousin, Elizabeth I. Mary eventually became too great a threat to Elizabeth, who signed her death warrant.

WIlliams highlighted the importance of the rosary: "When she fled Scotland into England most of her belongings were despoiled and shared out." Following her execution, nearly everything was burned because people feared she may become a Catholic martyr. One tiny remaining memory of Mary Queen of Scots has now gone.

A professor of criminology at the University of Brighton commented that there was a "surprising amount" of thefts of "antiquities or cultural artefacts". Taken by professional thieves on the instruction of affluent collectors, they join their private collections until discovered by the authorities.