Wittenham Clumps and Castle Hill forum 2 room
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I love the Didcot cooling towers, I love windfarms. If the Neolithic people had access to that technology and these materials, they would surely have used them. It may come as a shock to some but stone circles, cairns, etc etc are not natural features. Landscape 'beauty' is a very modern thing and very subjective. I personally don't think the people of the Neolithic gave two sh*ts about 'beauty' in that sense. Drama, of a sort, perhaps, but I think they were concerned with getting results, for want of a less obviously snappy and disconcertingly vague phrase. I can just imagine locals in 2800bc, angrily waving their placards, 'Keep Avebury ditch free' and 'No Hill here'.

One of my favourite views in the world is of Brightwell barrow from Castle Hill. The Cooling towers are a vital part of that view being so incredible and meaningful. I've never visited Brightwell and never will, as it won't be what I want it to be up close, but if look from the hill it can remain what its always been in my imagination.

Messing up natural beauty is one thing, and I think you make a fair point, but there's also messing up settings and that can't be so easily dismissed as something the builders wouldn't have cared about.