About now we should be holding our 18th Megameet

Alas, circumstances preclude it. We shall have to wait until next year.

In the meantime, here’s a reminder of our 2014 Megameet, held at the Rollright Stones..

” Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me, those have always
been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

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See you at Avebury next year for the 18th!

Land grab at the Rollright Stones!

…and for once it’s good news!

For the first time in recorded history the Rollright Stones straddling the Oxfordshire Warwickshire border on the edge of the Cotswolds have come under one ownership.

This time last month we were reporting on a possibly damaging upgrade of the road which runs between the Rollright Stones stone circle and the adjacent King Stone on the other side of the road, and in the neighbouring county of Warwickshire[*].

The Rollright Trust already owns the stone circle and the nearby Whispering Knights burial chamber, and last week, an announcement was made  that the Trust has now acquired possession of the King Stone, a Bronze Age standing stone which marks the location of a Bronze Age cemetery. The three monuments span a period of around 2500 years, from 5800BC (The Whispering Knights), 3500BC (The circle) and 2500BC (the King Stone), and around 2000 years later, the Saxons built a cemetery of their own close by.

The Rollright Stones were recorded as one of the ‘Wonders of Britain’ in the 12th century AD, and were among the very first monuments to be put into state protection (in 1883 and 1894), though they have remained in private ownership.  The King Stone has hitherto been looked after by the Haine family who have farmed the land for decades.  It will now be under the day-to-day management of the Rollright Trust who seek to ensure that the monuments are not commercialised but make a positive contribution to peopleís well-being through education, cultural events and other initiatives, widening awareness of their archaeological and historical interest and spiritual associations.

The Trust also seeks to conserve and enhance the wildlife value of the Stones and their surroundings, including over 70 species of lichens, some of them regionally or nationally rare.  The acquisition of the King Stone includes over 3 acres of pasture land, which, with the support of the Cotswolds Glorious Grasslands initiative, the Trust is planning to turn into species-rich flowery meadow.

[*] A recent petition calling for traffic calming measures rather than an increase in traffic levels at the monuments attracted over 32,000 signatures.

Save the Rollright Stones!

Back in November last year, we reported on a madcap scheme from Oxford Council for a new traffic scheme in the area of the Rollright Stones (see ‘Stonehenge idiocy at The Rollrights!‘). Even we thought, “surely not!”

However, it seems that the scheme outlined in November, to divert heavy traffic directly past the Rollright Stones (between the circle and the King Stone) is being given more legitimacy by the local council. The peace of the Rollright Stones is now under serious threat from proposals to turn the quiet road that runs beside it into a major route for Heavy Goods Vehicles to bypass Chipping Norton.

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A petition has now been raised, and all who enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the stones are strongly being urged to sign it as soon as possible. The petition states:

Whilst we understand the context of addressing the HGV traffic and air quality issues in Chipping Norton, the Rollright Road is a narrow C road entirely unfit for HGV traffic, or for upgrading to a full trunk road. The option has been examined on various occasions over the last twelve years, and even without fully considering the heritage, cultural and landscape implications, it has been dismissed – most recently in 2016 concluding “this option should not be pursued for further investigation.”

It goes on:

We are very concerned that without proactive management a significant increase in HGVs would arise using Rollright Road as a rat-run between the A44 and A344. The road passes within only 7m of the Kings Men stone circle and 30m from the King Stone. Part of the heritage and cultural value of the Stones is that in addition to c.20,000 visitors annually they are increasingly visited by school parties of 30-60 (sometimes up to 90) 7- and 8-year olds who have to cross the road. At 5m wide the road only just fits two passing HGVs, and the nearby blind crossroads at Tollhouse Cottage is notoriously dangerous. Rather than encouraging more HGV traffic passing through the Stones – whether directly or inadvertently – it should be actively discouraged.
We are concerned for the safety of people visiting the Stones, for local residents affected by inappropriate and reckless road use, as well as for the preservation of the Stones as a major cultural asset. The Rollright Trust has dedicated and very experienced trustees who have developed a very highly respected approach to managing the Stones and safeguarding them for generations to come, not just as a relic from ancient times. We hope our local Councils share this sense of responsibility and will act positively with strategic foresight to protect residents and the environment.

So please, if you visit and enjoy the stones, and/or are concerned by the erosion of the freedom to enjoy our heritage in peace and safety, sign the petition, and encourage all your family and friends to do the same.

If you want to know more about the monuments at the Rollright Stones, visit their website at  https://www.rollrightstones.co.uk and again, please, sign the petition to protect them NOW!

Polish immigrant at Rollright Stones

We noticed last week the 2005 paint damage has almost disappeared ….

May 2005 and July 2016

Eleven years it has taken. Which prompted us to wonder: if there was a severity scale for vandalism, how would you measure it? Maybe “how long will the change last” is a good measure. On that basis, breaking a lump of stone off is worst as that change is forever and painting the stones, thereby changing them for 11 years, comes second.

Then there are other, smaller changes which we noticed there….

Easily tidied up (except for the candle way which is a real pain for those who look after the site). But this one also looks minor, but isn’t…..

A polished pebble that has been forced in and now can’t be removed except by damaging the stone. So on the “how long will the change last” scale it could be there indefinitely and is one of the worst bits of damage. Best not do it then? In fact, best not change the stones at all? Instead, just capture some reflected photons, like this respectful American visitor did ….

or leave no trace of your visit, like this Polish immigrant did …..

Commemorating myths at ancient sites: a simple guide for guardians?

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Which is the best day out – Stonehenge or The Rollrights?

Just to remind you. On Sunday 14th September you have a choice:

You can pay £13.90 to slowly circumnavigate Stonehenge at a respectful distance with thousands of others in a scene reminiscent of Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow but less cheerful…

Or you can pay just a pound to walk right inside the much more complete, much more atmospheric Rollright stones and then sit down next to them for a picnic of quails eggs and truffles (maybe) and a chinwag and book-swap with a bunch of fellow megalith enthusiasts.

Tough choice. Up to you. And whilst Stonehenge is the focal point of a World Heritage Site, don’t forget that the Rollrights also has a wealth of prehistoric sites within easy reach.

Please be at Stonehenge or our Rollrights picnic about midday.

Megameet Picnic at the Rollright Stones

We’re holding a Heritage Journal picnic at the Rollright Stones, Oxfordshire on Sunday 14th September. All are welcome. Just pop along from about midday and bring lots of food and chat – and some megalithic books to swap if you’d like.

“X” marks the spot! (or we’ll be at a local pub [to be announced] if the weather is poor).

This will be our 8th public Megameet since 2003 and the first one we’ve held away from Avebury. If you haven’t been, The Rollrights are a fascinating place to visit, 3 sites within a couple of minutes walk from one another with a unique atmosphere and a host of myths and legends.

Picnic anyone? See you on Sunday 14th September!

In the meantime, don’t forget the Rollrights Open Day (see below).

The Rollrights can get overcrowded. Good.

Stone circle enthusiasts sometimes wish they could have places to themselves rather than having lots of people round them. There’s often not much chance of that at the Rollright stones….

On the other hand, since the purpose of the Heritage Journal is to raise awareness of such places to promote their conservation, we can hardly complain. The more people that know about them the less likely they’ll be daubed with yellow paint or have the visitors’ hut burned down.

We were also going to add that more money would be available for upkeep but in fact that could be fixed very easily. The admission charge is £1 and that’s simply not enough – most people would surely think £2 or £3 would be appropriate and would be happy to pay that even if a surplus went to charity. Perhaps the odd misery guts would refuse on the grounds entry should be free, but they’re hardly a majority and the truth is the Rollright Stones are so good they’re probably Giffen goods – the higher the price the more people see them as valuable.

Rollright Stones: still OK, despite vandals, arsonists and a visit by David Cameron!

Having visited the Rollrights last weekend we thought we’d show a few changes, good and bad, that have happened there since the previous articles we did in May and June 2005.

On the downside the visitors’ hut has gone, burned down by a vandal. But on a happier note there is now a superb witch near the King Stone…..

In 2005 a unique new pram and wheelchair-friendly pathway had just been laid from the King’s men to the Whispering Knights…

Now, it has matured and blends in. (Note, it remains grassy not muddy despite it being winter. Might something like it be suitable for use at places such as Stonehenge and Avebury?)

In 2005 the previous year’s catastrophic paint attack was yet to be addressed…

now, there is scant evidence of it. Even the largest lichen, reportedly many hundreds of years old, now looks relatively unscathed….

In 2005 a number of notable people attended the opening of the new facilities including George Lambrick and Aubrey Burl, as shown in this photo by Heritage Action’s Jane Tomlinson

Also in attendance that day were Morris Men, King Arthur Pendragon and the local MP, one David Cameron. Sadly we don’t have a picture of the latter. If we did it would be kind of unique and we could caption it “Cameron supports heritage preservation” and everyone would laugh heartily!

In the end though we can report that thanks to the Rollright Trust, not Mr Cameron, the stones remain in good hands and good shape….

A call for volunteers at the Rollright Stones

The Rollright Stones. Image credit and © Chris Brooks

Robin Smitten of The Rollright Trust writes:

Hello to all supporters of the Rollright Stones. Just to update you all on the progress at the Rollright Stones and to let you know of up and coming events.

Since re-starting the Wardens at Easter we have been able to cover most weekends with a Warden on site for a greater part of the day which has resulted in an exceptionally positive reaction from the public who appreciate someone to be able to talk to about the monuments. This has also increased our income through the sale of pamphlets etc. Whilst we have a core of people we are still looking to expand our number of Wardens over the summer – if you are still interested in becoming involved please get in touch or come up to the Stones on a dry day and have a chat. It may be that you might prefer to help out as a volunteer, to this end we have scheduled in a ‘site clearance’ weekend on Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th July. We plan to clear the site of rubbish including the wooded areas, get rid of any barbed wire on the fences, repair some fencing by the lay-bys and any other jobs that need doing. We will supply everything from gloves to food. If you think you may be able to spare a couple of hours or more to come along , either as a Warden or a Volunteer, you will be most welcome – and it is great fun.

Two major jobs which have been outstanding for ages have been completed, Warden Pete Egan closing the gaping gaps in the hedging where people were pouring through on sunny days to avoid paying a quid to get in. We also have a fully functioning money box – I say fully functioning – we purposely leave it unlocked and empty at night after someone broke the locks and stole the outer cowl about a week after it was installed. They only got away with about £5.00 worth of scrap but pointless, especially as there was a notice on the box which says it was empty.

Despite that minor setback the site is beginning to look good after the grass was cut (although it will not take long to grow back) and the prospects look exciting for the summer and autumn.

 

You can contact Robin to talk about becoming either a part time warden or a volunteer via robin.smitten@gmail.com