Comments for The Heritage Journal

Comment on English Heritage erect invisible notices round Silbury! by Brian

Brian — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:12:48 +0000

All the above is very interesting. Regarding the wooden staircase, it was suggested and dismissed way back but of course did eventually appear in the henge. As regards other points above: Silbury Hill is privately owned, by Lord Avebury, EH hold it in guardianship, and it was closed to the public in 1974 under the Ancient Monuments Protection Act because the opening of the M4 combined with a surge of interest in the wake of Atkinson’s televised dig and then ‘Dr Who and the Daemons’ (based on the Atkinson dig and filmed locally). It should also be noted that the site has SSSI status having been recorded over 150 years ago due to offering a unique 360 degree research base. Maintenance is a matter of interpretation: Drax digging a path and backfilling his shaft in 1776, the fencing off of the site under the Enclosures Act 1795, repairs made by Blandford in 1849, or not being contemporary the filling in of Blandford’s 1849 tunnel entrance in 1923? More clearly the agreement between the Ministry of Works and the landlord of the Red Lion in the same period – to keep the rabbits down and maintain the cover – this resulted at some point in an annual burning of the grass, last instigated it seems by Mr Greenaway in 1938. Other examples would be a rabbit proof fence and other measures installed in 1934 & 1936, chicken wire laid over large sections of the summit to prevent animal damage in the 1960s, then the importation of chalk to repair the historic path and a shortcut bridging a south west route to the summit (that had appeared when the historic path started to break down). As for the amount of damage caused by climbing, despite incursions by archaeologists in recent centuries Silbury is still something like 90+% original prehistoric archaeology and climbers are wearing ruts through the outer layers. Also, climbing begets climbing, so the more paths are seen the more people are tempted to climb and the more is worn away. It is impossible to stop without an even more hideous fence it had been argued, but EH has indeed come up with a new strategy.

Comment on English Heritage erect invisible notices round Silbury! by Archer

Archer — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:04:43 +0000

The only way I could think of would be to have a raised wooden access route, a kind of stair, that would be above the ground itself. However, problem is, people would doubtless get off it and go different routes anyway.
I actually shudder at the idea of free accesss. I guess some people have a better view of their fellow man that I do, but I have been to hundreds if not thousands of ancient sites, and the ones where people have been allowed to do as they like are, sadly, often dumping grounds for rubbish, graffitied, damaged (quad bikes etc) eroded, or, worst of all in my mind, show evidence of fires.
Just seeing the chaos at solstice at Stonehenge each year is devastating in itself–the place reeks of fags and p*ss and people have been known to defecate in the circle itself. Yes, really.
Silbury is unique in Europe, and sorry, no, I don’t think we all have right to erode/damage it just for whatever we personally want to get out of it, be that spiritual meaning, knowledge or just a scenic day out.

Comment on Oh! The Stonehenge Emperor has no clothes! by Jonathan Morris (@MorrisJonathan)

Jonathan Morris (@MorrisJonathan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:18:21 +0000

If they find out what it was for, the problem will disappear. £200k per year saved. Simples.

Comment on Stopping the bus by Epona

Epona — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:54:19 +0000

I think it makes particular sense to introduce children to the places on their doorstep. That way they can have most chance of feeling a connection with the people who lived in the same area as they do, but thousands of years ago. Prehistoric sites have the advantage of being in the open air – no shuffling round the corridors of stuffy castles and being warned not to touch anything.Their parents may not even know Coldrum exists, but may be lured up there by the enthusiasm of their children. It’s free too. Yes it’s even better from an educational point of view if you can have an inspiring EH interpreter to bring it to life. But valuing such places can also come from being out exploring in the sunshine, and many kids don’t regularly get that opportunity in itself.

Comment on Stopping the bus by janeliker

janeliker — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:06:08 +0000

Absolutely – or indeed any significant adult other – and, even if the adult/s do not have an abiding interest themselves in something like prehistory (mine didn’t), there is no excuse not to provide some kind of exposure to direct experiences of such as part of everyday life – and hopefully supported equally by official bodies funded specifically to provide access to new areas of interest and to educate the curious mind…including via free buses!