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Denney News

Crusader Castle Salvatierra de los Barros Extramadura, XII C. Restored by Anthony Denney

Supreme Court Judgment 21 May 1999

Brief background to the Denney Case -The key question : Does English or Spanish Law apply to the estate of an Englishman domiciled in Spain? (Note: this question may affect the succession of other expatriates. ) (aussi en Français)

Summary of Supreme Court Judgment Denney children win appeal because Mayor of Toulouse is merely the trustee or donee of Denney Art Collection. However Denney children lose case, because Supreme Court decide that English Law applies to the estate of Anthony Denney. No costs are awarded to either party because of legal complexity of the issues involved and the absence of case law from the Supreme Court. (aussi en Français)

Anthony Denney’s children give their views on the outcome - It was very necessary to fight the case in order to clarify the law and to draw attention to the risks of lending works of art to museums. The judgment appears to raise more questions than it answers re: the future interpretation of Article 12.2 of the Spanish Civil Code. (aussi en Français)

Newspaper Comments, including:

"Art & Bad Manners" in Toulouse - satirical view from Le Satiricon

Legal references on the Denney case including:

Denney judgment in full - In French - In Spanish
The Adams case 1985

For further information about the case or if you wish to make comments please contact: Antony Anderson at e-mail : antonya@antonya.ace.co.uk Antony Anderson On behalf of Anthony Denney's children August 1999

Art & Law Links

Art Loss Register - Trace Magazine - Hieros Gamos II Art Law Institute of Art and Law - Kluwer Law International Museum Security Network WWW - Foreign & International Law

The Art Newspaper

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The Castle of Salvatierra de los Barros The history of the castle of Salvatierra de los Barros goes back to the end of the 12th Century when king Alfonso IX of Leon ordered its construction with the intention that the fortress would mark the definitive reconquest from the Moors of this part of Extremadura. The site is ideal as it dominates the land around. The castle was built partly on Roman foundations, dating from the time when Salvatierra prospered under Roman domination. The castle is of a very military character and is of a style which up until then had been unknown in the Iberian peninsular. Veterans of the First Crusade were impressed by the sophisticated design of the Syrian castles to which they had had to lay siege in order to enter the Holy Land and they built castles on the Syrian pattern when they returned to Europe. After the final reconquest of the region in 1228, the surrounding area was repopulated with Christians from Leon and from then on life was fairly peaceful. Over the years, the castle was transformed from fortress to what in those days was considered a luxury residence. The castle was fitted with fireplaces, staircases and balconies and the windows and doors on the North side were blocked up in order to keep out the cold. At this time it was capable of holding a garrison of 100 to 150 soldiers, leaving out of account local inhabitants. The castle later fell into a ruined state and several hundred years ago some of the stones were used to build a convent nearby. In the 18th Century it passed into the Medinaceli family, one of the most powerful in Spain and then it fell later into private hands. As neither the State nor any official body wanted to take charge of the remains, it was eventually bought by Anthony Denney in the 1970's who then, after careful research restored the castle. More information on Salvatierra de los Barros (In Spanish)

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