A YA/Children's story featuring either people being turned into statues or statues coming to life at night, set in a stately home.
I would have read/listened to this in probably the late 90s, in the UK. From what I remember it was eerie, with a similar vibe to Carrie's War or Room 13 by Robert Swindells. I think the protagonist was a girl, but I can only really remember one scene clearly. I think it might have been on the radio (probably radio 7?), which would explain why I can't remember much of it.
- It was set in a big manor house in the British countryside. I'm not sure if the children were evacuated there in WW2, or if it was a school trip, but they were there without their parents as a group. I think there might have been a caretaker or housekeeper character, but that's vague.
- The house had extensive grounds with a terrace, which I think had roman columns. There were also white marble statues, possibly of mythological figures.
- I think the sound of a peacock screaming was important somehow— possibly that there was a *statue* of a peacock, but no actual peacocks on the grounds.
- The bit I remember clearly is the main character running along the terrace in the moonlight. I think she was looking for a classmate of hers who had gone missing, and realised that he was going to be turned into a statue. I think there were alcoves along the terrace that held statues in the daytime, but were now empty. She was scared, and I think heading towards a lake or a folly somewhere on the grounds of this house?
From what I remember the language was modern, and it isn't The Enchanted Castle by E Nesbit.