Trethevy Quoit in danger

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Sanctuary S
Sanctuary Feb 28, 2013 23:48:21
Replying to Littlestone

Littlestone wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
I would be pretty certain, and say so it said Tome, that the banked area would have extended out much further to form an exclusion zone of sorts around it. This would have been a pretty 'holy' place where I doubt you could have simply strolled up to and poked around like we do today.
The present size of the bank, and its now more vertical sides, really do suggest that any slippage, or further erosion there, might result in the whole lot coming down. Two questions: on a scale of 1-10 how likely do you think a collapse might be? Based on your studies of the stones and their positions how likely do you think one or more of them might shatter in a collapse?
In a way that's the easiest question in the world to answer LS because I have history on my side. 100% Trethevy Quoit will fall ONE DAY unless supported, because the greater majority already have! How soon it falls is entirely down to the powers that be to take action and ensure that it doesn’t in the near future.
That’s the easy answer and I guess not the one you were really hoping for. I’m not a structural engineer but I do have eyes and I do have research notes which indicate to me that the quoit is on the move. Take a look at these two photos as they indicate accurately what is happening.
https://picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/TrethevyOnTheMove?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXdtNO6tNLazgE#

The main supporting orthostat, the front closure stone in one photograph, is leaning out alarmingly to the east and almost replicated by the rear side flanker in the other photograph which is being pulled with it. It won’t stop!
I have to hesitate here because I am in danger myself of giving too much away as I have written about it and would prefer you to read it out of a book for obvious reasons ?

Trethevy has already partly fallen and I’m positive I have proven it. This is the worrying bit because the ‘repairs’ were really only temporary but still remain and relied heavily on the banking to the base. If it goes, so does the quoit! Look at the large boulders mixed in with the earth and heaped against the rear flanker that is leaning. Remove that and it slides out and falls.
I know exactly how it will fall because it is obvious but if we wanted to go to the trouble of totally re-instating it to its original build then we could easily do it today with the equipment at our disposal and still use Neolithic technology to keep it intact. It only got into trouble before because of a stone failure not because of faulty workmanship.
It is a magnificent example of Neolithic engineering and I am in awe of our great ancestors who understood far more than we often give them credit for. It took me nearly a year to pick up on what had never been discussed or noticed before and in doing so answered so many other unanswered questions.

And yes, some stones are certain to break, especially the recumbent stone presently lying inside the chamber. You'd need more than super-glue to put that one back together :-)

H harestonesdown
harestonesdown Mar 1, 2013 00:52:21
Replying to Sanctuary

Sanctuary wrote:
Littlestone wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
I would be pretty certain, and say so it said Tome, that the banked area would have extended out much further to form an exclusion zone of sorts around it. This would have been a pretty 'holy' place where I doubt you could have simply strolled up to and poked around like we do today.
The present size of the bank, and its now more vertical sides, really do suggest that any slippage, or further erosion there, might result in the whole lot coming down. Two questions: on a scale of 1-10 how likely do you think a collapse might be? Based on your studies of the stones and their positions how likely do you think one or more of them might shatter in a collapse?
In a way that's the easiest question in the world to answer LS because I have history on my side. 100% Trethevy Quoit will fall ONE DAY unless supported, because the greater majority already have! How soon it falls is entirely down to the powers that be to take action and ensure that it doesn’t in the near future.
That’s the easy answer and I guess not the one you were really hoping for. I’m not a structural engineer but I do have eyes and I do have research notes which indicate to me that the quoit is on the move. Take a look at these two photos as they indicate accurately what is happening.
https://picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/TrethevyOnTheMove?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXdtNO6tNLazgE#

The main supporting orthostat, the front closure stone in one photograph, is leaning out alarmingly to the east and almost replicated by the rear side flanker in the other photograph which is being pulled with it. It won’t stop!
I have to hesitate here because I am in danger myself of giving too much away as I have written about it and would prefer you to read it out of a book for obvious reasons ?

Trethevy has already partly fallen and I’m positive I have proven it. This is the worrying bit because the ‘repairs’ were really only temporary but still remain and relied heavily on the banking to the base. If it goes, so does the quoit! Look at the large boulders mixed in with the earth and heaped against the rear flanker that is leaning. Remove that and it slides out and falls.
I know exactly how it will fall because it is obvious but if we wanted to go to the trouble of totally re-instating it to its original build then we could easily do it today with the equipment at our disposal and still use Neolithic technology to keep it intact. It only got into trouble before because of a stone failure not because of faulty workmanship.
It is a magnificent example of Neolithic engineering and I am in awe of our great ancestors who understood far more than we often give them credit for. It took me nearly a year to pick up on what had never been discussed or noticed before and in doing so answered so many other unanswered questions.

And yes, some stones are certain to break, especially the recumbent stone presently lying inside the chamber. You'd need more than super-glue to put that one back together :-)

WOW ! The situation looks critical, and i wouldn't want to be near it in any circumstances. They should fence it off immediately imo, it could kill someone.

L Littlestone
Littlestone Mar 1, 2013 10:35:06
Replying to Sanctuary

Many thanks for that.

If I’ve understood correctly we’re now faced with a secondary problem – ie that to properly conserve the structure not only does the bank need to be extended but also that the whole thing needs to be taken down and (correctly) reassembled. There are precedents for that sort of remedial work (think the Leaning Tower of Pisa) where unsuitable materials or techniques have been used on works of art etc. Could we ever hope that English Heritage would embark on such a programme at Trethevy...

The alternative is stark though. As you say, the structure will one day come down – if nothing is done now to stabilise it that’s likely to be sooner rather than later :-(