A strange stone head discovered in a garden decades ago is set for auction – and it’s thought to be indelibly linked to a Derbyshire town’s past.
The stone carved with two faces – one with a frown and one with a smile – was discovered 28 years ago covered in brambles at the bottom of a garden in Church Street, Ashbourne.
The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “We moved into the house 30 years ago. It has a quarter of an acre of garden and the brambles were head high. It was so overgrown it took me two years to clear the ground. I found the stone underneath a load of brambles at the bottom. No one had been down there for years.
“I used it as a garden ornament for a long time but now it’s stuck in a passageway, unseen, so I’ve decided to sell it. If it’s an important historical object connected to Ashbourne’s past, perhaps it should be in a museum.”
The stone head will be offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ March 31 Fine Art Auction with an estimate of £2,000-£3,000. But, being a unique find, it’s hard to predict what it may achieve when it goes under the hammer.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “It’s a truly fascinating object. Ashbourne is a town rich in history and heritage and, when news of the find emerged last December, I know it sparked major interest among locals.
“That is partly because the carving bears a striking resemblance to a controversial Black’s Head wooden caricature which was displayed in Ashbourne for decades. The 18th century Grade II* listed head used to be located above The Green Man & Black’s Head Royal Hotel sign in St John Street. The stone statue looks similar to the caricature.
“However, the wooden Black’s Head has sparked major controversy in recent years and is currently in storage. It was removed, initially by locals, after a petition branding it racist and offensive gathered support around the country.
“I understand it is now in Matlock Records Office and that Ashbourne Town Council wishes to take ownership of it. Respected historians have different ideas about the origins of the Black’s Head. One theory is that it’s a symbol from the crest of the notable Shirley family from the area. Others think it resembles Francis Barber, a Jamaican servant boy who accompanied renowned writer, poet and playwright Dr Samuel Johnson on his visits to the town.
“Local folklore suggests the head is smiling at people as they approach the town and frowning as they leave, this being symbolic of the fact the boy was delighted to visit Ashbourne but sad to leave.
“Whatever the truth may be, it’s part of Ashbourne’s unique heritage and, whatever your views on the nature of the Black’s Head, we must accept that. The discovery of this stone version adds another strand to the story.
“Of course, we will never know how or why a stone carving resembling the Black’s Head ended up in a garden in Church Street, or exactly how it’s connected to Ashbourne’s heritage. It’s a mystery we can only ponder but there is a chance we will discover more.
“According to the Ashbourne News Telegraph, the town’s heritage society may research who lived at the Church Street property where the stone was found. Perhaps they will discover a link to the Green Man or Blackamoor’s Head pubs, or the Shirley family.”
The stone head will be offered in Hansons’ March 31 Fine Art Auction. Further entries invited until March 10. Catalogue due live March 24 at www.hansonslive.co.uk.
To find out more, or to arrange a free valuation, email Isabel Murtough: [email protected].
