There is already a visitors' charter

What is needed is for the gardians to accept responsibility. If 50% of the public take note of the visitors' charter it probably wouldn't stop stunts like the ones we've seen lately.

If the gardians sign up to it (and I'd add a clause about placing signs at car parks, too, asking people to take care*) then that's protection from most things, not just responsible visitors.

People likely to take note of the visitors' charter are not likely to damage a site anyway. Some folk you'll never get through to, so there's no point in a visitors' charter for them. Remember, even some of the folks who claim to hold these sites sacred often litter them**! ( from last week)

*Get EH or the gov't to pay for these :-)

** I did say some before anyone says anything.

Over a difference of opinion with a heritage professional this week, it became obvious that the professional considered the monument I was asking to be treated with the respect its status demanded, was simply a name to them nothing more. They dealt with hundreds of monuments with all manner of “unique” superlatives attached to them, and varied from ancient monuments to country houses, horse drinking troughs to chimneys, hill figures to public statuary and cathedrals. Many were scheduled, all manner of stars and whatever and they didn’t even attempt to engage with any of them. Like doctor on casualty call in a city centre on a Saturday night, they were just so snowed under with demands from every corner claiming some priority or special case.

The problem the pro’s are confronted with is that those with passion and emotionally or religiously devoted to monuments, want to do everything in their power to stop these sites being disrespected – whether that is others abusing them, or guardians not looking after them with the same devoted levels as themselves.

This will sound a bit country code, but isn’t it a case that there might be a way of introducing a straightforward basic respect “code” for all ancient monuments everywhere, scheduled or not, that adopts the line and simplicity of a visitor’s code but carries the essence and approval of the AMPA; and is so excruciatingly simple and obvious that everyone public and pro has to recognise and accept it in the interest of the monuments and the public?

This is probably cobblers, in which case I shall revert to nonsense.

VBB :o)