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Cross erected on barrow​…possible witnesses?

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nigelswift N
nigelswift May 4, 2003 08:37:06
Replying to BlueGloves

Yep, that’s a reality check.

Annoyingly, this has all come 30 years too late. Once, there was a wonderful time when me and my mad friend with the landrover and the winch would have gone down there for the afternoon and all would now be well.
Annoyingly, age robs us of much fun. Instead, I have to think that this is merely one of thousands of instances, as all those Bronze Age yews next to churches will reveal. Also, the pulling down of a cross would cause such a fuss that the reasoning for it wouldn’t be heard, and the perpetrators would be widely regarded as evil black magicians. It would probably do harm to the cause of ancient site preservation in general.

Sadly, the only route is the cautious route. Lean on the archaeology service and the planners very gently. Approach the local vicar and parish council with humility and humour. It’s the only way, but I wish it wasn’t because somewhere along the line some closed-minded and utterly insensitive Christians of the very worst kind have been involved.

T treaclechops
treaclechops May 4, 2003 10:26:49
Replying to nigelswift

Nigel, how I wish you were 30 years younger! ;0)

Fun with landrovers really appeals, but you're so right in what you say about the other side thinking it would be done in order to clear the way for drinking blood or exalting a wholesome virgin, amongst other things . . . hmm, sounds familiar. ;o)

And I do agree that the 'softly softly' approach is probably the best one to adopt, if real results are to be achieved; what you say about 'somewhere along the line some closed-minded and utterly insensitive Christians of the very worst kind have been involved' is so true. One doubts that they'd even understand the concept that neutrally preserving ancient monuments of a religous nature is not a slight against their faith.

Oh dear, I'm beginning to sound terribly zealous - I'm not really, and I'd love for all faiths to engage in more understanding and tolerance where possible. It's just the *size* of that bloody thing that disturbs me so much; what would be wrong with a five foot cross that didn't dominate the barrow, if you so sorely require such a thing? Add if it's so huge to enable St. Birinus pilgrims to find the place, why don't they teach them something useful in Sunday School, like orienteering and OS map reading? :o)

Aaarrgghh!!!!!!!!!!

C Chris Collyer
Chris Collyer May 4, 2003 11:08:49
Replying to nigelswift

There’s some good points being raised here – my first reaction was to go and saw the thing down too. You're right though, for zealous Christians , ie the type who put large crosses everywhere, such an act would be seen as the work of pagans, devil worshipers, satanists, or worse – goths. It reminds me of the woman who lived close to Glastonbury who put up a huge cross on her land because to her the festival was some giant satanic gathering with the devil himself walking amongst it. Unfortunately such people are blinded by there own faith (not just Christians by the way – no offence meant to anybody) and view anything that conflicts with their beliefs as a direct attack on them – the chances of getting them to listen to reason are remote. Informing them that the place may be important to those of a pagan persuasion would only make things worse – it then justifies their actions, but approaching the issue from a archaeological angle may have a small chance of success and they may listen to the nice little old man in the tweed jacket, but again I think the chances are small. I suspect that the cross is probably there to stay, especially as EH are well aware of it and seem not to want to antagonise its builders.
Ho-hum

-Chris

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