Pi-e-ty/ˈpī-itē/Noun: The quality of being religious or reverent.
It seems that (according to Wikipedia) Piety can be either genuine, in that it springs from spiritual piety, or false, in that it is an attempt to exhibit the signs of piety for their own sake, or for some other reason, (such as propitiation or public esteem).
It doesn’t seem unreasonable to suggest that whoever recently deposited the nasty little straw-stuffed goddess-cum-teddy on top of this 15 foot high standing stone at Harold’s Stones, Gwent, was guilty of false piety.
Forensic examination of the scene suggests they must have expended quite a lot of effort in spoiling other people’s experience of the place. It might have taken ten or more attempts to throw the thing up and get it to stay. Or maybe they used a ladder. Or climbed on the shoulders of a fellow iffyofferer. Or worse (and most likely) clambered up the sloping side of the stone.
Whichever. May their deity decline their dippy donation.
On the other hand, less than a mile from Harold’s Stones in Trellech village can be seen this on the base of a sundial inside the church of St Nicholas…
Which means that at Trellech there has been a representation of a pagan “temple” tolerated and celebrated in a Christian place since 1689 (although admittedly the original stonemasons would have thought the stones dated to the Saxon king, Harold, not to pagan times).
In addition, there’s no doubt at all that the maker of this hassock knew very well that the Three Stones are from pagan times. Good for them. Pious people, sufficiently mature and comfortable in their beliefs to leave room for respect for the perceptions of others.
All in all it’s tempting to think that some modern pagans, particularly the litterati, far from saying modern Christians are doctrinaire and inflexible (as they often do) could do with taking lessons from them. Who can possibly deny that Pi·e·ty/ˈpī-itē/Noun doesn’t mean chucking straw-stuffed goddess-cum-teddies on top of scheduled monuments but that it does come from having a bit of awareness of the perceptions of others!
Here endeth the comparison. Bible 1 Teddy 0.
The Heritage Journal 
3 comments
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27/06/2011 at 15:33
Maju
You guys are a bit dogmatic and suspicious of Christianism. I don’t like at all the tone of the article: it’s not scientific but sectarian.
27/06/2011 at 19:11
Gayle
Get in touch with the relevant authorities and ask them to remove the offending article. Not all those who follow a pagan path do this sort of thing. Many just visit ancient monuments and leave nothing behind. At least the stone has not been damaged. Far worse is done to our ancient heritage by developers than by someone leaving a straw stuffed figure on a stone that at least can be removed.
I’m more concerned about what this council leader is proposing :
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/development_rules_relaxed_in_the_fens_but_the_bunny_huggers_won_t_like_it_warns_council_leader_1_929730
Our heritage is in danger all right, but pagans are the least of our worries.
27/06/2011 at 20:00
heritageaction
English Heritage has neither the time nor money to devote to tidying up after people that leave items at sites. We have both colleagues and good friends who are pagans so we aren’t anti-pagan just anti-litter.
We agree the nonsense in the Fens is a much greater threat. We haven’t run an article so far because so many others have done so. Mike Heyworth of CBA is on the radio debating with the gentleman concerned about now.