Dunham Massey removes statue depicting kneeling black figure The figure has now been moved from the front of the hall while they make plans for its future The National Trust has now removed a statue of a black male from the forecourt of Dunham Massey Hall. The move comes after calls to remove it from its prominent position in front of the Cheshire stately home due to its association with colonialism and slavery. The life-size statue depicts a black figure dressed in a skirt of feathers, kneeling on one knee holding a sundial above his head. The Blackamoor sundial at Dunham Massey is currently under review for its connotations with slavery It comes after the National Trust revealed they were reviewing what to do with the statue while working to "tackle the often painful and challenging histories attached to our places and collections". It says it is now making plans about how to address this history in a way that 'fully acknowledges the appalling histories of slavery and the slave trade'. A spokesperson for the trust said "We don't want to censor or deny the way colonial histories are woven into the fabric of our buildings. "For these reasons, we have decided to move it safely from its previous location while we make plans to address it in a way that fully acknowledges the appalling histories of slavery and the slave trade." Scores of statues of 18th century figures associated with Britain’s links to the slave trade are now under scrutiny following a series of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. The term Moor derives the word Blackamoor - a type of European art that depicts African figures, usually displayed in a subservient position. It was a popular subject for sculpture, particularly in the gardens of grand mansions as a way to reflect the wealth generated by the slave trade. In modern times, this type of art is considered to be racist, with its association to colonialism and slavery.
