A rare Tudor carved panel was removed from a listed building because a caretaker had thought it to be rotten and "riddled with wood worm and dry rot," an employment tribunal has heard.

Brian Wilson allowed a businessman to remove the artefact, with an estimated value of up to £5m, from Grade II listed Seighford Hall in Stafford.

The oak mantel was later put up for sale, the tribunal heard.

Mr Wilson was found to have committed gross misconduct and dismissed.

Mr Wilson, who was living in a caravan in the grounds of the 16th century manor house, had first been employed when the building was used as a nursing home.

It ceased operating in 1998 and Mr Wilson was kept on site to deal with any security and maintenance issues.

At the tribunal, he admitted removing the carving and placing it on a "fire pile" before allowing it to be taken away by businessman Andrew Potter.

"I let him have it, as far as I was concerned it was less rubbish for me to get rid of," he said.

The carving, thought to date back to the 16th century, was put up for auction in 2021 but the sale was halted after an intervention by Stafford Borough Council.

The local authority said there had been no Listed Building Consent granted for the removal of the panel, which is considered one of the hall's integral fixtures and fittings, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In 2020, Mr Wilson was called to an investigation by his employers, Seighford Hall Nursing Home Ltd, relating to the handing over of the overmantel without authorisation, also the sale of two fireplaces and a tractor.

He did not attend the meeting or any subsequent disciplinary meetings leading to his sacking, claiming he did not receive the invitation. He then took his employers to tribunal for unfair dismissal.

Employment Judge Kate Hindmarch ruled the sacking had been "procedurally unfair," but said that the claimant had admitted removing the carving without consent claiming it to be "in very poor repair".

She awarded him £4,065.82 in unlawful deduction from wages and untaken holiday pay but ruled he was not entitled to any additional compensation for his sacking.

She concluded: "I have found [Mr Wilson's] actions were without permission and that he was not credible in his explanations. His behaviour was blameworthy, and I find the basic award should be nil."

Seighford Hall is believed to have been gifted by Queen Elizabeth I to Richard Eld in the 1590s as a reward for his services as paymaster.

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Legal action dropped over rare Tudor overmantel

Legal action over sale of rare Tudor overmantel

Local Democracy Reporting Service - Local News Partnerships

Employment Tribunal - GOV.UK

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