Buxton Monument in Weymouth damaged in vandal attack

Campaigners are disheartened after the Buxton Monument in Weymouth was damaged.

The monument, on Bincleaves Green, honours Thomas Fowell Buxton, former MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis and an anti-slavery campaigner.

A public dedication ceremony was held in the summer (above) following a long campaign to raise money and get it built.

It cost around £40,000 and was paid for entirely by public donations and fundraising events by the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society.

Trustee and treasurer Dr John Fannon said: "The Buxton Monument was damaged last weekend. Considerable force must have been used to break the top half of one of the quatrefoils, which then toppled onto one of the steps. It has all the hallmarks of vandalism.

"Since the Buxton Monument was set up on Bincleaves Green a year ago, it has attracted many admiring comments as to its beauty. Indeed only last week, the Weymouth Civic Society gave special awards to Weymouth College for the artistry, and to the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society for its achievement in bringing the project to fruition.

"Weymouth is proud of this monument. A local resident kindly notified the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society, emailing “devastating pictures” of the damage. It is difficult to create a thing of beauty – but very easy to destroy it."

Dr Fannon said restoration will be expensive, which the society will have to fund out of its limited resources.

He said the society desperately needs funds to help restore the monument and would be grateful for donations however small.

These can be made through the website www.thomasfowellbuxton.org.uk