Council steps in to halt sale of £5m Elizabeth I panel bought by man who wanted it for headboard on his bed but officials say was illegally removed from 16th century manor house

• Stafford Borough Council took legal action to prevent sale of rare Tudor artefact
• Whitchurch Auctions were due to sell carving for between £1.9m and £5million
• But council claim it was removed illegally from listed building Seighford Hall
• The matter is due to be decided before Birmingham County Court this month 

A council has sought an injunction to prevent the sale of an Elizabethan panel as they claim it was illegally removed from a 16th century manor.

The oak overmantle was due to go up for auction last Monday but was withdrawn last minute after Stafford Borough Council took legal action.

Experts estimate the rare engraving, which measures 9ft by 5ft, could be worth between £1.9million and £5million. 

But the council claims the mantle was removed from Seighford Hall, a grade II listed near Stafford, without listed building consent and wants it returning so it can be reinstalled.

Stafford Borough Council has taken legal action to prevent the sale of this Tudor overmantle which was installed at Seighford Hall but that they claim was removed without permission

But its owner, Andrew Potter, claims he was given the item with a receipt and had intended to use it for a headboard until he was informed about its true value, the Shropshire Star reports.

The matter is due before a county court in Birmingham on September 10 where it will be decided if it should be taken any further.

Michael Jones, from Whitchurch Auctions who were due to host its sale, told the Star it was a ‘frivolous injunction’ as Mr Potter had been given a receipt.

Mr Potter told the newspaper he had acquired it from Seighford Hall two years ago and had intended to use it as a headboard because it was infested with woodworm.

He added: ‘I took it home and left it in my garage. Then there was the lockdown. I kept it in the garage and the weather was so hot it dried it out and all the woodworm was gone.’ 

Before the sale was stopped, Mr Potter said he was receiving interest from prospective buyers around the world and it was expected to have a £2million reserve. 

Andrew Potter denies any wrongdoing and claims he acquired the artefact from Seighford Hall (pictured) with a receipt while auctioneer Michael Jones described the injunction as ‘frivolous’

It is thought the overmantle depicts the coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth I and it is thought to have been gifted to Richard Eld in recognition of his actions while serving as paymaster to Royal forces in Ulster.

Work is underway to convert Seighford Hall into a luxury hotel. 

The authority is bringing the case under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003.

This legislation refers to the acquisition of cultural property and makes it an offence to acquire, dispose of, import or export ‘tainted’ cultural objects, or agree or arrange to do so; and for connected purposes.

A spokesman for Stafford Borough Council told MailOnline: ‘We applied for the injunction to stop an offence being committed under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (offences) Act.

‘We want to prevent the sale of the overmantel and have the panel reinstated in the listed building.’

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