A village between Harrogate and Ripon has been left in a state of shock after its most famous sight — a 30ft topiary cockerel — was cut down.
Bishop Monkton has crowed about its magnificent bird for more than 100 years.
Standing proudly in front of a 300-year-old home known as Cockerel Cottage, it attracted visitors and even national media coverage.
Photos on local history website Bishop Monkton yesterday show the bird outside the cottage, whose proper name is Burngarth, in the 1920s.
Pic: Bishop Monkton Yesterday
But it disappeared this week, leaving some villagers horrified, and wondering what had led to its demise.
The Stray Ferret spoke to Gary Cross, landlord of the Masons Arms in Bishop Monkton, to find out more.
Mr Cross said the cockerel had been one of the main talking points in the pub in the days since it was cut down on Tuesday.
But he said that, contrary to appearances, it was not an act of wanton vandalism and could even return, Phoenix-like, after its shearing.
Mr Cross said he knows the owners, who we have not named, and understood the cockerel’s size and proximity to the house caused problems including blocking light and was difficult to maintain. He added:
“It was a pretty big object and attraction. Some residents are very upset about it. But they don’t have to live next to it.
“With the beck flooding, a lot of their garden was subject to flooding and it held pools of water, which was difficult to deal with. The owners have been there two or three years and tried to work with the cockerel but it had just become so big.”
Mr Cross said a leading topiarist was hired to prune the bird down to its roots so it could regrow, although this would take years. He said:
“Some people are being rude and vicious but it has not been butchered, it was carefully cut.
“Most people think it’s a shame but when you pose the question ,’would you want to have to maintain it?’, the answer is usually ‘no’.”
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