Head of muntjac deer stolen from Verderers' Hall in Lyndhurst

The wall-mounted muntjac was displayed in the Verderers’ Hall along with the heads of other species of deer found in the Forest, which was originally a royal hunting ground.

The ancient hall at the top of Lyndhurst High Street hosts the Court of Verderers, a monthly forum that is open to the public.

Lord Manners, the Official Verderer, in the Verderers' Hall at Lyndhurst (Image: Newsquest.)

The head’s disappearance was raised at the latest court session by Oliver Cook, son of retired Forestry England keeper Jonathan Cook, who culled the animal at New Copse Inclosure in 2020.

Oliver Cook said the muntjac and an accompanying plaque had been removed from the wall "sometime in the last few weeks".

He added: "I request that the Verderers and Forestry England do all they can to find the missing items and, in the event it is established that it has been stolen from the court, that security protocols are revised to ensure the many irreplaceable items in the court of considerable public interest are properly protected."

Mr Cook said the muntjac head was put on display because it was the only species of New Forest deer not represented in the hall.

He added that the Verderers had agreed to fund the taxidermy and mount it in the hall for educational purposes.

The Verderers' Hall in Lyndhurst is thought to be more than 800 years old. (Image: Newsquest.)

Thought to be more than 800 years old, the building is part of the King's House, which houses the regional headquarters of Forestry England.

A Forestry England spokesperson said the theft had been reported to Hampshire police, adding: "The muntjac head, along with its plaque, was taken from the special display.

"We believe this was an isolated incident, as nothing else is missing from the Verderers' Hall or our offices.

"CCTV footage has been checked and security measures reviewed."

The Verderers were established to deal with people who broke New Forest laws and in 1388 a building in which courts could meet was opened either within or beside Lyndhurst’s old manor house, which is now the King's House.

Today one of their main roles is to help preserve the area's character and natural beauty.

A muntjac deer. The head of one of the creatures has been stolen from the Verderers' Hall in Lyndhurst. Picture: Phil Shillingford (Image: Phil Shillingford)

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