Two people have been charged in connection with a vandalism incident at Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian, earlier this month.
Staff at the site say they have been left “heartbroken” and “outraged” by the vandalism, which took place on 20 April. Various walls and flagstone floors at the historic site were defaced with red spray paint. An ornate fountain built by James V in 1538 was also graffitied, with the structure at the top left badly damaged.
The palace, which is managed by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), has been closed for ongoing restoration since 2021.
“Two males, aged 13 and 14, have been charged in connection with the incident,” a spokesperson for Police Scotland said.
An HES conservation team is assessing the most appropriate treatment to remove the graffiti. “Test removals will be carried out over the coming days,” a spokesperson for HES said.
Peter McGrath, head of physical security at HES, said: “Incidents of wanton damage to our precious heritage such as this are simply unacceptable.
“Heritage crime can cause irreparable damage to historic sites, potentially robbing us of our history. These incidents also divert resources away from vital conservation work to our sites and monuments. Our teams are working hard to address this damage before the palace reopens.”
A sad story. If the people who did this really are children on 13 or 14 it would seem wrong to criminalise them. Far better, surely, to help them understand the potential value and relevance of heritage to them and their community.