Try this:
Dear Sir,
Friends of Thornborough, Jan Harding and Time Flyers have clearly identified the ritual landscape surrounding Thornborough Henges and the importance of the archaeology that is contained within it.
Friends of Thornborough has also highlighted that North Yorkshire County Councils planning rules are not being followed and neither are the governments planning guidelines. in so much as the presumption in favour of preservation in situ for archaeology of national importance is not being honoured.
Yet there is archaeology being uncovered at the current quarry site, and destroyed right now. There is no sign of English Heritage being involved and there has not a word from EH with respect to the fact that this is going on. For example, two weeks ago a large rectangular ditched structure was uncovered, this was bulldozed immediately after recording. The same thing happened to a circular ditched structure. Clearly this way of working does not lend itself to a thorough understanding of the importance of the feature and a decisioon as to preservation to be made.
Right now a square ditched structure - 5m X 5m has been uncovered, along with a number of shallow pits containing a black organic fill have been exposed on the new quarry site. Yet more archaeology that was not originally expected and no doubt this will also be destroyed regardless of its importance, also with it's setting.
The public image that is being portrayed is that English Heritage are happy to see these things destroyed without even being involved in the decision making process.
The original planning application was granted on the grounds that no archaeology, not even of local importance was expected. So far over 500 significant archaeological features have now been found on the site. Of those that were dateable, about 90% were Late Neolithic. Yet it would appear that neither NYCC or English Heritage have visited the site to determine the importance of the archaeology.
The misinformation spread by NYCC has clearly nailed their colours to the mast but the question now is do EH sit on the same side of the fence as this? Please, everyone, write to EH and write to the press.
It would appear that English Heritage may be involved in similar misinformation offences, EH have been aware that the entire area around Thornborough was up for quarrying since last November but they have said nothing about it. Instead, they reported in June this year (Yorkshire Post) that Thornborough had been saved! This was because quite some time ago the farmer agreed not to plant potatoes in the fields around the henges, yet this press realease happened four weeks after EH got a pasting from local people for suggesting that quarrying was no more destructive than ploughing at a Thornborough open day.
In May this year letters started flooding into EH about the issues at Thornborough. Many have asked quastions about how PPG16 has been implimented and why no archaeology is being physically preserved. The response from English Heritage so far has been disappointing to say the least.
All this time, archaeology, potentially of national importance has been destroyed by Tarmac on the quarry. Some of this destruction has apparently been carried out in dubious circumstances.
Last month Tarmac sponsored the British Archaeology Awards, yet still nothing has been said by EH or much of the archaeology community.
This is a disgrace and someone is going to have to do something about it. EH have had a year and have not done anything. NYCC allowed it to happen in the first place and have stuck their head in the sand ever since. The system is not working.
I deamnd a statement from English Heritage clearly indicating their position with regards to the current quarry site and the archaeology contained within it. If this Later Neolithic archaeology was not related to the henges and was not therefore of national importance I would like English Heritage to say so. Otherwise English Heritage must be recognised as part of the problem, along with Tarmac and North Yorkshire County Council.