>...I would not like to see E/K denuded of its natural cover, which I feel does not do too much damage...<

Trouble is moss that we don't know how much damage <i>is</i> being done (though it's almost certain that some damage has taken place) and I find even 'some' damage due to the tree cover unacceptable.

I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on this. I'd like to see EKLB cleared of trees and excavated - my reasons for that are a) that controlled clearing of the trees would help prevent further damage to the barrow and b) that an excavation of the barrow would almost certainly lead to a better understanding of the structure and probably of the people who built it.

I realise that the excavation of EKLB is not popular with everyone and some of the reasons given in the past are that it involves the loss of a mystery, that East Kennet will end up like West Kennet, or that we should wait until better techniques have been developed. I respect those reasons but, as I said above, if we had applied them to Sutton Hoo we would not now know what we do know about the early English period.