A $1,000 reward has been offered in the search for a "beautiful" a set of gates formerly belonging to one of Epping Forest's oldest buildings.

Former Copped Hall Trust trustee, Gordon Brown, has put the money up in order to locate the grand gates and railings which were sold in 1950.

The gates and railings were made of wrought iron attached to Portland Stone pillars, created and installed by a local building firm Norman and Burt in 1895 as part of an extensive improvement programme undertaken by then owner, Ernest Wythes.

Mr Brown said: “The gates are beautiful and the trust would love to discover where they are.

“I am very keen on locating them but I didn’t want to use any of the restoration fund so I put up my own money.”

The gates marked the entrance to the garden terraces of the hall and were located at the end of a gravel forecourt leading up to the building.

Copped Hall Trust Chairman Alan Cox said: “There are rumours the gates are in Washington DC after being bought by an American but we haven’t yet been able to confirm this.”

Copped Hall Trust is in the process of restoring the property and is keen to discover where other pieces have ended up.

A great deal of the hall and its items were sold off in 1950 when the premises were in a state of disrepair after the main building was irreparably damaged by a fire in 1917.

The trust is keen to locate all items sold off, including a number of statues, even if they are unable to bring them back to the property.

The trust have had success in locating some items, such as Balustrades and steps, which were returned from Bullwood Hall which is now a disused prison.

Ornamental garden Peacocks, in Margaretting, is home to two ornamental pillars formerly of Copped Hall and St Paul’s in Walden Bury, Hertfordshire, now houses two sphinxes and a temple.

The largest benefactor of the Copped Hall sell-off of assets is possibly Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, which bought three flights of stairs, two balustrades and two obelisks.

Anyone who is able to locate the gates and supply details of the current owners to the trust will be entitled to the reward.

In order to do so call Mr Brown on 020 8505 1041 or email Gordon.lbrown@tescdo.net