One of two carved sandstone wolves outside Inverness Town House has been the target of suspected vandalism.
Dog-eared … the broken sculpture of one of the two wolves outside Inverness Town House. Picture: What’s Happening Inverness
The sculptures were commissioned a decade ago to replace the then-missing statues of two dogs, seen in historic photos perched high on the roof of the A-listed Town House.
An old photograph of the original dogs on the roof of Inverness Town House. They have since been re-installed.
Just before the wolves were due to be installed in September 2017, the two original statues of the dogs were by chance discovered in unmarked crates during a clear-out at a council storage depot.
The broken sculpture of one of the two wolves outside Inverness Town House. Picture: Alasdair FraserThe broken sculpture of one of the two wolves outside Inverness Town House. Picture: Alasdair Fraser
The dogs were installed on the roof again, with the decision then taken to place the new wolf statues at either side of the entrance to the Town House as part of its extensive refurbishment.
Since then, they have become a popular attraction for visitors and locals, and a particular source of interest for younger children.
It is not yet known when the damage occurred or whether or not it was malicious or accidental.
But pictures posted on social media in the last 48 hours highlighted damage to one of the wolves’ ears.
Highland Council has been contacted for comment.
An information board outside Inverness Town House explains the presence of the wolf sculptures.
The significance of the wolf stems from the fact they once freely roamed the Highlands, prior to extinction locally through hunting and other factors.
They feature heavily in Pictish artwork in stone carvings dated around 500AD.
One such carving, found in a wall at Ardross in the late 1800s, now rests in Inverness Museum, close to the Town House.