So WILL there be fences at Stonehenge and if so WHERE? Even at this late stage we don’t think it’s clear to the public:
English Heritage’s longstanding guide to the Stonehenge improvements says:
“The high chain link fence will be replaced by more appropriate stock fencing and other fences will be removed “where possible””
On the other hand, their video shows that fence simply being swept away and no other fence replacing it at all.
And on the third hand, EH has just said:
“The car park, fencing, shop and other structures that have accumulated to manage visitors and provide a service close to the site over the past century will be removed.”
Since “fences” are a preoccupation of every visitor to Stonehenge and the central purpose of the improvements is to “reconnect the monument with the wider landscape” clarification, once and for all, would be welcome. We get it that some fences might be kept in some parts of the WHS and these might not yet be finalised but if EH could simply state something they must know – the radius of the circle round the monument where there definitely WON’T be fences – everyone would be reassured.….
Yes there will be fences, but how close will the CLOSEST be?
The Heritage Journal 
6 comments
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15/05/2012 at 22:18
Bill
Let’s turn it round – what radius do you believe is most appropriate? Should everyone be excluded from within the bank and ditch or just from the centre circle?
What do you estimate the damage might be to the sensitive areas within and including the bank, ditch and along the Avenue as a result of the footfall of a million visitors?
If erosion wear becomes a problem along certain favoured paths into and around the monument, should those areas then be fenced off to allow the grass to recover or should the ground have matting placed on it along those paths? Should the Heelstone, Slaughter Stone and Station Stones be fenced off?
How should any restricted or fenced off areas be policed? With what sanction against people who ignore the restrictions?
What would you decide, if you were in charge?
16/05/2012 at 04:22
heritageaction
Hi Bill. Fair questions!
Without knowing some of the contraints, such as stock management issues, it would be difficult to be absolutely specific but if you put Stonehenge and Fences into our search box you’ll see some of the things we feel are important. They include not having millions inside the circle (it’s been tried and the erosion was pretty bad) and continuing the “movable rope” system – that seems the only fair compromise between seeing and damaging (BUT people should be TOLD, not given the vague impression there’ll be free access to the stones). Plus, “splendid isolation” is a great comcept and although it’s impossible to achieve we ought at least to avoid having any fences anywhere near the stones. It’s aesthetic vandalism is it not, and we’ve been doing it for far too long.
18/05/2012 at 08:57
Bill
“avoid having fences anywhere near the stones” is a bit vague – the nearest ones at the moment are alongside the A303, the A344 and byway 12. I think we know that the 6′ chainlink one along the A344 is to be replaced by stock fencing, and the other two aren’t visibly intrusive at all.
How close to the monument should the barrier ropes be placed, do you think?
18/05/2012 at 09:12
Pat
Well “not visibly intrusive” is all that we or anyone else can reasonably require. But official assurances to that effect would be welcome. I don’t think they’ve been given yet.
As for the barrier ropes, the point of them is that they’re movable, to minimise erosion. They seem to work pretty well. Are you suggesting they should be changed?
“I think we know that the 6′ chainlink one along the A344 is to be replaced by stock fencing”
Do we?? Where does it say that? If that’s true wouldn’t they be visually intrusive?
The above rather illustrates our point: the public haven’t been told precisely what is going to happen and they deserve to know.
28/05/2012 at 21:31
Bill
Some of the barrier ropes get moved (the ones on the grass), but the others don’t – the ones on the inside of the tarmac path and the plastic path from the bridge, for instance. I’m not suggesting anything, I’m asking how close HeritageAction think the nearest barrier should be to the stone circle.
“Do we?? Where does it say that?”
From 3:23 into the video on http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/our-plans/our-proposals/ it shows the 6′ chainlink fence being removed. Since the NT land north of the A344 (and the ‘triangle’ itself) are both grazed as part of the chalk downland reversion project, stock fencing of some kind will obviously be required, or there’ll be sheep-related chaos.
29/05/2012 at 10:01
heritageaction
You speak as if the need to replace the 6′ chain link fence with stock fencing is something that is entirely obvious. Yet the project has sought and gained public support on the understanding there would be a removal of fences. It was a key intention conveyed in words and by “before and after” video and still images that show fences disappearing and not being replaced!