Martha, Buxton's Miner Tribute, Vandalized Again

In Buxton, Derbyshire, the wooden sculpture Martha, a tribute to the miners who enriched Derbyshire's farmland, has been knocked off her plinth. This act of vandalism occurred two years after the sculpture was reinstated following previous damage. Martha was created by sculptor Lorraine Botterill and commissioned by the Buxton Civic Association, a charity dedicated to the built and natural environment, which manages local woods including Grin Low, historically significant for lime-burning. The sculpture was part of a pair, with Charlie, both celebrating the mining industry. Martha's origins were a response to the vandalism of Charlie in 2021, and she herself was later daubed with swastikas and had her eyes gouged out. Botterill repaired that damage, but now Martha has been smashed off her plinth again. The incident raises questions about the normalization of destruction of 'common ground' and the challenges of maintaining public art.