Mr Roger Penny who ordered the destruction of part of one of the Priddy Circles will have to wait a bit longer to hear the punishment as the matter has been adjourned yet again until 26 October! Why? More time is needed to work out the cost of reinstating the Monument. Quite a puzzle as you can’t reinstate destroyed prehistory at any price. But here are some pictures we took of the damage if you wish to do some calculations!
The South-East henge wall, carefully and precisely sliced into oblivion
The North-West henge wall, spared overall but carelessly gouged at in a number of places, for no forgivable reason…
The end result of the whole exercise. Immaculate.
[Images (C) Heritage Action but free to re-use, with credit]
While its easy to think a very harsh sentence is called for, either as a punishment or a warning, it’s also worth considering whether the most important thing isn’t teaching anyone a lesson but learning a lesson from them. As we mentioned a few days ago it is possible that if there had been a simple warning notice on the gate through which the bulldozer was driven – maybe with a Monument number and English Heritage’s telephone number (0870 333 1181) on it – the bulldozer driver(s) just might have hesitated long enough to give them a ring on a mobile.
11 comments
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03/09/2012 at 17:30
J Toth
How about they just drop one of the stones on his head for punishment.
03/09/2012 at 18:13
Dave Hogan
Leave your goods unATTENDED AND SEE IF THEY WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU COME BACK….commonsense was to make it difficult to achieve access to such a site, surely..?!!
03/09/2012 at 18:16
Andy Burnham
Very sensible suggestion but could I suggest a conventional national rate number rather than a very-expensive-to-call with a mobile 0870 !
English Heritage
01793 414910 or 01793 414700
via the excellent services of
http://www.saynoto0870.com/
03/09/2012 at 18:31
heritageaction
Thanks Andy, we’ll look to changing the text to cover that. ‘Course, it would be for EH to decide what number they would want to display if/when they took the idea up and if they did then a dedicated number, publicised on lots of websites might be the answer. Its not just bulldozer drivers that might take heed. How many ordinary members of the public saw the circle being demolished and didnt quite know who to call?
03/09/2012 at 18:32
heritageaction
Dave – it was the owner!
03/09/2012 at 19:01
Alan S.
Whilst we couldn’t possibly condone violence, we certainly hope that the full weight of the law is brought to bear on this case when it (finally) comes to sentencing!
04/09/2012 at 04:50
Pagan
Instead of trying to recreate the circle, a monument should be placed there like a gravestone to remind people of just how abysmally stupid they really are.
05/09/2012 at 11:17
Mr Thomas
Mr Penny is an old man and will be desperately worried about this. Are a few old stones more important than a man’s health?
05/09/2012 at 19:54
Pagan
Yes. Mr Thomas, it is. The thing is, he should of known better, especially being an “old” man, but then old age doesn’t always mean wisdom now does it.
06/09/2012 at 14:39
priddy resident
If it was Stonehenge the whole country would be up in arms. This site is older and probably more important. The new owner, Mr Penny would have made aware of the existence/importance of the circles by his solicitors when he bought it . What a tragedy. He’s even filled in the Swallet Holes where ancient and possibly ritualistic offerings were made. He’s a very wealthy local businessman, but yes he is old. These delays have certainly added to his sentence. This needs to be splashed across the broadsheets to warn other site holders. This can NEVER be allowed to happen again, these sites are supposed to be protected. About as much protection as a paper bag. Locals and enthusiasts want access to the site as part of the ‘sentence’, there’s no footpath across the land and we’ve never really been allowed on it. Time to change that at the very least. Did EH write to him when he became the new owner to advise him or educate him? Maybe that’s another oversight. We don’t want blood but we do want lessons to be learned.
07/09/2012 at 12:08
Mr Thomas
Why didnt English Heritage buy the site instead of him if it was so important? As for people suggesting dropping stones on the mans head as a punishment – ridiculous comment.