“They knew the building could still be saved—and went ahead anyway.”
The mural by Hungarian artist, George Mayer-Marton who has been hidden from view at a school in Swinton for 30 years.
The great nephew of an artist whose masterpiece was destroyed by Salford City council is preparing to take legal action over the case. As revealed in the Manchester Evening News the beautiful mural was bulldozed last week after a nine-month campaign to save it.
Hidden behind plaster of the wall of the entrance foyer to the old St Ambrose Barlow RC High, in Swinton, the mural was by Hungarian George Mayer-Marton, who fled to Britain after the German annexation of Austria.
The wall on which the mural was created had been left standing after its discovery as attempts were made to save it. But the council demolished the wall. The site has been cleared to make way for affordable housing.
The Department for Culture Media and Sport had previously agreed in January to uphold an application for a review of a decision by Historic England not to list the work. But after a further review, Historic England decided it did not merit being listed. The council took this as a green light to knock it down.
How the mural looked in the foyer of St Ambrose Barlow RC High in Swinton.
The 1954 mural, The Five Joyful Mysteries of the Virgin’s Rosary, filled a whole wall in the foyer of the school before being covered with white paint in the 1990s and forgotten.
The mural was first scheduled to be bulldozed last summer despite two heritage groups backing a campaign by the artist’s great nephew for it to be preserved. Diplomats from the Consulate General of Hungary also requested an expert be given access to the site to determine if the mural can be salvaged.
In addition, a prestigious Austrian art gallery, a Europe-wide cultural organisation, and a Welsh art gallery also gave their backing to save it. The Imperial War Museum was also backing a campaign to save it.
How the foyer of the former St Ambrose Barlow RC High looked prior to demolition – with the fresco covered by emulsion and plaster.
Nick Braithwaite, the great nephew of the artist, had been hoping the mural could be saved and incorporated into the housing development. He previously launched a successful campaign to save another of his great uncle’s works, a mosaic, called The Crucifixion, which filled an entire wall behind the altar in the Church of the Holy Rosary in Oldham.
However, Salford Council have confirmed the artwork has been demolished after Historic England said it would not be designating the mural.
The council’s culture boss had previously insisted they were not “dismissing” the value and integrity of the work – but said the cost of saving it could have been as much as £400,000.
Mr Braithwaite told the Manchester Evening News that a legal challenge was being prepared as he believes the council demolished the mural while a government review into its historic signifance was “still on going”.
A photograph of George Mayer-Marton’s fresco at St Ambrose Barlow RC High in Swinton.
He said the former school foyer contained a confirmed surviving artistic work, – “an important mural” by George Mayer-Marton The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had already ruled that the work survived and sent the case back to Historic England for reconsideration.
A further review request was then lodged by Mr Braithwaite within hours of the Historic England making its recommendation to DCMS for the work not to be listed.
Mr Braithwaite says despite this, the council proceeded with demolition before the review could be determined by DCMS, and ” effectively short-circuited the heritage protection process.”
Campaigners say the council was well aware that the Historic England advice could still be overturned but chose to act anyway.
Mr Braithwaite said: “This was not oversight; it was short-circuiting the legal process. They knew the building could still be saved—and went ahead anyway. It is difficult to see that as anything other than cynical. The claim is not symbolic: it seeks to establish that public authorities cannot lawfully act to pre-empt a live statutory process.”
Artist George Mayer-Marton who was given commissions in Catholic churches throughout the north west in the 1950s.
He said judicial review proceedings are now being prepared, with the case expected to focus on whether public bodies can lawfully sidestep heritage protections by acting before scrutiny is complete. “This is very personal to me,” he added.
A spokesperson from Salford City Council said: “We have received written communication from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport confirming they will not be designating the mural at former St Ambrose Barlow RC High School to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
“It is important to note that the mural was hidden in the wall when the council took control of the site. The previous owners had covered up the mural with plaster and paint decades previously.
“When we were made aware of its existence, we paused demolition works in the vicinity of the mural to give every opportunity for an individual or organisation to secure its future. This included allowing access for specialist conservators to examine the wall and reveal sections of the mural and to enable Historic England to review the designation request based on these findings.
“However, on March 24 the council received the final notification stating that it would not be designating the building or mural, the council took the decision to complete the demolition of the remaining section of the former school including the wall, in which the mural was located, to enable the site to be prepared for the delivery of new affordable homes.”
