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The Merry Maidens

Unusual Solstice offerings

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MerryMaid M
MerryMaid Jun 26, 2010 10:23:33
Replying to Sanctuary

Hello
First of all I would like to say that I am not a member of ANY group involved in this on-going argument involving the knitted items left at the Merry Maidens - I do however live very close by and was there on the day that this event took place and know some of the other people involved.
Firstly, I feel I must say to everyone who thinks it was just a bit of fun and "no harm done" - the only reason there WAS 'no harm done' was because all of the items were removed before any harm could occur. These were NOT just knitted flowers as has been reported elsewhere, many of them either contained pins or were pinned in place and I'm sure even the Grannys most ardent supporters will understand, pins and trails of yarn can cause terrible harm to wildlife, small children, dogs, and to grazing cattle who also use the site - at the moment there are many fox cubs, young badgers and fledglings in the immediate area. The wool itself was a mixture of acrylics which will not biodegrade easily and besides all that, the Merry Maidens is a Grade 1 Scheduled Monument with a sign at the entrance asking all who visit to respect the site and leave nothing behind. Had the ladies decorated the area, taken photos and then removed it all then there really would have been 'no harm done', but they didn't. They left it all there for others to clear up. It was a criminal act (look it up if you don't believe me) - if they had done the same thing to the altar at Truro Cathedral they would have been hauled off by the police.
The personal digs at the monitors/volunteers who genuinely care for these sacred and important sites are very uncalled for. If it wasn't for them many of the sites would be inaccessible to the public all together or closed and permanently fenced off. They give up a great deal of their time and work very hard at clearing the areas of rubbish left by visitors, (including dog faeces, used condoms etc) and undergrowth which undermines the structures.
And finally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with leaving offerings consisting of flowers or natural materials but please, no elastic bands, pins, cellophane and absolutely no tea-lights. It all has to be cleared away by someone - perhaps some of you would like to volunteer?

M moss
moss Jun 26, 2010 10:49:56
Replying to MerryMaid

MerryMaid wrote:
Hello
First of all I would like to say that I am not a member of ANY group involved in this on-going argument involving the knitted items left at the Merry Maidens - I do however live very close by and was there on the day that this event took place and know some of the other people involved.
Firstly, I feel I must say to everyone who thinks it was just a bit of fun and "no harm done" - the only reason there WAS 'no harm done' was because all of the items were removed before any harm could occur. These were NOT just knitted flowers as has been reported elsewhere, many of them either contained pins or were pinned in place and I'm sure even the Grannys most ardent supporters will understand, pins and trails of yarn can cause terrible harm to wildlife, small children, dogs, and to grazing cattle who also use the site - at the moment there are many fox cubs, young badgers and fledglings in the immediate area. The wool itself was a mixture of acrylics which will not biodegrade easily and besides all that, the Merry Maidens is a Grade 1 Scheduled Monument with a sign at the entrance asking all who visit to respect the site and leave nothing behind. Had the ladies decorated the area, taken photos and then removed it all then there really would have been 'no harm done', but they didn't. They left it all there for others to clear up. It was a criminal act (look it up if you don't believe me) - if they had done the same thing to the altar at Truro Cathedral they would have been hauled off by the police.
The personal digs at the monitors/volunteers who genuinely care for these sacred and important sites are very uncalled for. If it wasn't for them many of the sites would be inaccessible to the public all together or closed and permanently fenced off. They give up a great deal of their time and work very hard at clearing the areas of rubbish left by visitors, (including dog faeces, used condoms etc) and undergrowth which undermines the structures.
And finally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with leaving offerings consisting of flowers or natural materials but please, no elastic bands, pins, cellophane and absolutely no tea-lights. It all has to be cleared away by someone - perhaps some of you would like to volunteer?
Thank you for that Merrymaid, as I posted the news not sure of what was happening, the above clears the air beautifully and sets out in no uncertain terms the actual damage that could have happened to the wildlife and domestic animals.
If you were to read the TMA forum further this leaving of 'offerings' at site provokes a great deal of talk and sometimes anguish at the mess some people leave, so what you say is grist to the mill for reasons why stone circles and other megalithic sites should be left without any trace of rubbish/offerings of an unsuitable nature.....

M megadread
megadread Jun 26, 2010 13:02:52
Replying to MerryMaid

MerryMaid wrote:
Hello
perhaps some of you would like to volunteer?
Hi merrymaid, thanks for the informative post.
I'd just like to point out there are many here like myself that regularly tidy up tat left at our local sites, shame we have to but there ya go.

T tjj
tjj Jun 26, 2010 13:54:01
Replying to MerryMaid

Good post Merrymaid, welcome to the forum and please stick around. Your post made it clear just what sort of damage was involved albeit more to the environment than the stones. Its quite hard to understand how mature people can be so short-sighted not realise the consequences of what they were doing and your analogy to the reaction they would receive if they did the same thing in a church or cathedral was well made .

I visited the Merry Maidens twice back in April walking there on both occasions before realising the was a bus stop nearby. A lovely part of the country indeed.

F faerygirl
faerygirl Jun 26, 2010 15:20:08
Replying to MerryMaid

I guess I figured they hadn't just left it there! You would have thought they would leave it for the day and then collected it up! Thats what I would have done if I had gone to the trouble of making all those pretty little flowers. Ah well, nowt as odd as folk...