Manhunt Launched After Rare Silver Antiques Stolen From Baddesley Clinton Manor

The Stolen Artifacts and Historical Value

The targeted collection loss includes high-value items from the former home of the Ferrers family, a Grade-I listed estate renowned for serving as a sanctuary for persecuted Catholics in the 1590s. According to reporting by the Daily Mail, the stolen objects feature a Georgian-era silver salver engraved with the Ferrers family arms. The flat plate bears the maker’s mark of Dorothy Mills, identified as one of the few female registered silversmiths of the 1700s, and was believed to be the sole example of her work in a publicly accessible United Kingdom collection. Additional missing pieces include a silver stirrup cup shaped like a fox and a pair of candelabra.

The stolen silver salver cost roughly £12 when crafted in the 1750s—equaling about twice the annual wage of a housemaid at the time—and is estimated to hold a modern value of approximately £2,300.

Operational Impact and Security Fallout

The break-in forced the historic property to close its doors to the public for two days, though surrounding amenities including the gardens, parkland, cafe, and shop remained operational. Ann Ryan, National Trust operations manager for Baddesley Clinton, addressed the community impact in statements reported by the Daily Mail, noting, “This has been a very upsetting incident for our staff and volunteers, and we appreciate the support shared by visitors and members of the public on social media.”

Warwickshire Police have issued public appeals for information to locate the missing artifacts before they are melted down or funneled into clandestine private collections.