Nigel, yes you personally have been courteous and if your explanation of last night's very brief reply (which you made on behalf of Heritage Action)was in way of an apology then I accept it. If anyone wants to look back on any of the posts I have made on the Silbury topic they will see I have also been courteous and respectful (apart from my knee-jerk response last night).

I reproduced English Heritage's reply to my enquiry verbatim and without comment. I am not an archaeologist, or a historian, or an expert of any description. Heritage Action lays out its remit as 'ordinary people caring for extraordinary places' and yet there there doesn't seem to be much inclusiveness in that statement. I really am not interested in scoring points and only look at TMA because I have a deep love and interest of ancient/sacred sites - especially those around the Avebury area of Wiltshire.

Moss, no it doesn't seem ridiculous to me that the actions of English Heritage have been scrutinised by Heritage Action throughout the process conserving and restoring Silbury. I fully accept that as an alternative to synthetic bags, chalk blocks would be preferable. It also has to be said that with the exceptionally heavy rains that we have had for the duration of that work, EH have been up against it to say the least.

I've done what I said I would do and followed through on the letter and email I sent, although I truly wish I hadn't bothered. I guess that's all I have to say on the matter apart from apologising to TMA Eds for apparently inviting another squabble about poor old Silbury.