The Dean of Exeter is a very smooth individual who, I hve heard it said, was a spoiled child used always to getting his own way. He wanted to clear out of the Chapter House at Exeter the 'joyless' sculpture of local artist Kenneth Carter, a great man and the producer of the most impressive sculpture of which Exeter could boast. He has 'got his own way' indeed. The fifteen collosal pieces of sculpture were last seen being put into a removal van. Where are they now?
For fifty years Exeter Cathedral held this treasure. It is now lost to citizens and visitors alike. The busy Dean has jumped over all the ecclesiastical hurdles, circumvented all who might have objected by what might be called a conspiracy of silence, found an artist, of whom nobody I know has ever heard, to write mean things about a true artist's work and, in the face of protest, has struck pre-emptively and lo!, the niches in the Coffee/Chapter House are bare.
Well, it is a good story and it will not go away. This Dean will be remembered as the man who robbed Exeter Cathedral of the Testament Sculptures. The City will be the poorer for it. It will be remembered as an altogether negative exercise and will not be forgotten or forgiven.
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