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Stonehenge and its Environs

Should Stonehenge be floodlit?

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nigelswift N
nigelswift Dec 4, 2011 15:09:05
Replying to Sanctuary

Sanctuary wrote:
nigelswift wrote:
You're lucky. I first saw it in 2000 and it was pretty dire by then.

Mind you, I'm lucky to have seen Avebury as it is. I suspect it will never be as unspoilt as it is at present.

When I first came to England from the Channel Islands in 1961 it was quite normal to walk freely amongst the stones even though it was overseen by one or two security guards (of a type). Security wasn't taken too seriously at the time although there was some sort of device that alerted the local nick if you entered the site. We all knew we had about 10/15 minutes before they came and were walking down the road whistling to ourselves by then!! They all thought it was a laugh themselves. In all the times I visited I never once witnessed any trouble-makers or damaged caused.

Yes I think we should all take advantage of Avebury while we can and be grateful that we can still walk around it at will. It will never be the same again if that priveledge is ever removed.

Now that the fences are going at Stonehenge they'll need some high tech security at night - or some lighting! ;)

I wasn't thinking people would ever be stopped from walking around Avebury, more that the environment will deteriorate incrementally year by year due to planning decisions. Imagine, if the NT opened a fast food joint right in the centre!

S Sanctuary
Sanctuary Dec 4, 2011 16:00:29
Replying to nigelswift

nigelswift wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
nigelswift wrote:
You're lucky. I first saw it in 2000 and it was pretty dire by then.

Mind you, I'm lucky to have seen Avebury as it is. I suspect it will never be as unspoilt as it is at present.

When I first came to England from the Channel Islands in 1961 it was quite normal to walk freely amongst the stones even though it was overseen by one or two security guards (of a type). Security wasn't taken too seriously at the time although there was some sort of device that alerted the local nick if you entered the site. We all knew we had about 10/15 minutes before they came and were walking down the road whistling to ourselves by then!! They all thought it was a laugh themselves. In all the times I visited I never once witnessed any trouble-makers or damaged caused.

Yes I think we should all take advantage of Avebury while we can and be grateful that we can still walk around it at will. It will never be the same again if that priveledge is ever removed.

Now that the fences are going at Stonehenge they'll need some high tech security at night - or some lighting! ;)

I wasn't thinking people would ever be stopped from walking around Avebury, more that the environment will deteriorate incrementally year by year due to planning decisions. Imagine, if the NT opened a fast food joint right in the centre!

No I realised you didn't mean them being stopped from walking around Avebury, I was thinking more of the Stonehenge rope scenario where you are kept to the exterior and made to walk around the top of the bank after a concrete path with kerb stones has been laid with those little lights set into the kerb to satisfy H&S :-) (Bugger I'm sounding like Goff now!!)