I REFER to your editorial and the article by Chris Lloyd (Echo, Jan 6) concerning the Church Commissioners’ decision to sell the Zurbaran paintings from Auckland Castle.

Having seen these wonderful paintings in situ a few years ago, it is very difficult to imagine anywhere other than Auckland Castle providing the perfect setting for then, and to even consider divorcing them from their historical home seems mad.

It seems that financial considerations are the only ones with any clout.

One can foresee the paintings being sold at auction to go abroad, an export licence being temporarily refused until we all put our hands in our pockets to “save them for the nation”.

They already belong to us.

Phyllis M Watts, Reading, Berkshire