Plea to Archbishop over VC’s grave

David Mooney, a stonemason for 48 years, was given written permission by a former vicar to install a headstone for Captain George Symons, who died in Bridlington in 1871, and is the town’s only VC recipient.

However nearly a year after it went up in Bridlington Priory he was sent a letter from the Diocese of York, saying he had to apply for a “faculty” to do the work, and asking for £270 for a meeting.

If he doesn’t do so it could be removed.

Mr Mooney, who has donated the headstone to the church, discovered the whereabouts of the grave after years of work. He said he would write to Archbishop John Sentamu to “stop this nonsense”, adding: “If I was guilty I would take the headstone down, but I have done nothing wrong. I wouldn’t have put it up without permission because that would have been throwing £800 or £900 away.”

But the Diocese of York says the form isn’t legal because it is undated, and the vicar retired in 2008. A spokeswoman said they’d had guidance from the Chancellor to the Diocese, His Hon Judge Peter Collier QC, who advised that Mr Mooney would have to petition for a “faculty” by March 31 - or see the headstone removed.

She added: “The PCC and Vicar would very much like Mr Mooney to apply for the faculty, and to continue to honour the memory of Captain Symons.”

Symons won the VC for his bravery in going into enemy lines and shoving spikes into their cannons and blocking them up, in the course of which he was badly wounded.