Latest News

Sounds great until you hear it was only discovered because someone wants to turn the site into a quarry..

from The Times:

An excavation has turned up flint tools and cooking pots from about 10,000 years ago at a site on the North Downs in Surrey. The area, which bears the remains of cooked meals, campfires and flint tools, is believed to be one of the most important Mesolithic excavations in Britain.

Andrew Josephs, an archaeologist and the project’s consultant, said: “The most extraordinary thing is that people gathered here for 4,000 years. It’s over a period of time that is very hard to comprehend. We think of the Romans as a long time ago, at 2,000 years. Mesolithic man was coming here for 4,000 years, which is 200 generations of people. It suggests a tradition passed down from generation to generation.”

Within hours of starting to dig yesterday, archaeologists had unearthed an adze, an implement used for shaping wood. The buried land surface is littered with evidence of communities that came to the area from around 8,000BC to 4,300BC.

So little is known about Mesolithic man’s way of life that the artefacts will greatly improve archaeologists’ understanding. The site is at North Park Farm, Bletchingley, a medieval village in East Surrey. It emerged when WBB Minerals, a mineral supply company, applied for planning permission to quarry in the area and an archaeological investigation was undertaken as part of the process.

WBB Minerals and English Heritage are funding a full excavation at a cost of £350,000. A series of public open days has been planned.

Jonathan Last, English Heritage’s head of prehistory research policy, said: “This excavation provides an invaluable opportunity to enhance our understanding of Mesolithic chronology and settlement. What’s really interesting about this site is the potential to have undisturbed remains of activities from this period.

“We find quite a lot of Mesolithic flints across England, but they usually turn up in plough soils on the surface. It is unusual to have undisturbed remains of occupation, where we can refit pieces of flint and find them in relation to hearths and cooking places.”

The Mesolithic period, also called the Middle Stone Age, began about 8,000BC and lasted until about 4,000BC. Across England there were only 10,000 people, who led a mobile existence, hunter-gathering in woodland. They would have followed herds of animals or moved to riverside or coastal locations to catch fish.

Archaeologists are working side-by-side under the guidance of Surrey County Archaeological Unit and ArchaeoScape, at Royal Holloway College.

timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1749059,00.html

From Heritage Action’s Heritage Journal, 24 August 2005

The Rollright Trust, guardians of the Rollright stones on the Warwickshire/Oxfordshrie border has just launched an innovative audio tour facility.

From their website, you can download a sound file for your iPod or MP3 player. But if you haven’t got the technology you can buy a CD with the tour on when you arrive at the stones and they will even lend you a CD player to listen to it on while you are there.

The audio tour is split into three tracks, one for each of the monuments at the site: the King’s Men stone circle, the Whispering Knights burial chamber and the King Stone standing stone.

The audio tour is given by George Lambrick, chair of the Rollright Trust and the leading expert on the site, its history and archaeology.

The Rollright are an excellent example of how ancient monuments can be run to the benefit of all without turning them into a Disneyland-style tourist attraction. It is one of the first heritage sites in the world to offer a guided tour as an MP3 download and earlier this year, access for visitors who are wheelchair users was improved at the site.

https://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/

The Tara SOS week programme of protests will be launched with a 1
hour protest commencing 10am at Dublin Castle on Saturday 03.09.05.
This protest will coincide with the Themed tour and readings
titled ‘The Irish Revolution (1913-23’ in Dublin Castle.

Later in the day at 1.30pm (September 3rd) a later protest will also
be held at the same venue to coincide with the O’Carolan harp recital
in Dublin Castle at 1.30 in the afternoon

New Placards, and leaflets covering Tara’s history, lore and heroes
will be launched. A strong turnout is essential.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, 04.09.05

------------------

Dublin – Volunteers Needed

All Ireland Semi-final, meeting at 2pm at GPO – educational talk
about C€ ¦ú Chulainn Statue and Tara, etc at GPO followed by 1.5hrs
of
leafleting the 82,000 crowd at Croke Park

----------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Meath – Volunteers Needed

Sunday, 04.09.05

All Day Protest in the Car park, Loughcrew, Oldcastle, Co. Meath
to coincide with the Free guided tours of Cairn T. Time: 10.00am –
5.00pm

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Mayo – Volunteers Needed

Charlestown Town Hall Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Entrance to the
right of the Library entrance (same building) beneath Health Centre.
Photographic exhibition: `Portraits of an Irish Town’. Sunday
2.00 –
6.00pm
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Cork – Volunteers Needed

Courtyard of Barryscourt Castle, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork. Re-
enactments of military life in Norman times. September 4th, all day.

Garinish Island, Glengarriff, Co Cork. Tour of Italian garden.
September 4th, 12.30pm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Waterford – Volunteers Needed

Dungarvan Castle, Co Waterford, tours relating to the castle’s
history. September 4th, 12.30pm and 3pm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Donegal – Volunteers Needed

International Clann tSuibhne (Sweeney clan) gathering, Letterkenny,
Co Donegal, September 4-10th.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Co. Galway – Volunteers Needed

Connemara National Park visitor centre, Letterfrack, Co Galway.
Guided nature walk. September 5th, 10.30am.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

PRESS STATEMENT – TARAWATCH – 19TH AUGUST O4 – 4.30
PM

A new campaigning group – Tarawatch – has been formed. The
group sees it’s role as articulating the opinion of the 70% of the
irish population who are against the routing of the proposed M3
through the Tara Complex. The group is determined to keep the
issue at the forefront of public debate in the run-up to a high
court challenge to the Governments decision.

The group’s first public action took place today at the M50
tool-booth operated by National Toll Roads who are part of the
consortium most likely to build and collect tolls on the proposed
M3 for the next 25 years as part of a Private Public partnership
arrangement.

Leaflets were distributed at the action to motorists informing
them:

- that the Clonee to Kells motorway will have two toll booths for a 
initial contract period of 45 years
- that one toll booth will be located north and the other south of
the Hill of Tara
- that profits from these tolls will go to a private corporation and
not the exchequer
- that NTR has been selected as the preferred bidder on the M3
Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract
- that NTR are part of Eurolink, along with SISK and Cintra
Construction PLC (Spain).
- that the profit from their tolls will pay for destruction of Tara
- that a shorter cheaper route to the west of the tara complex is
available
- that commuting problems on the M50 are likely to get much
worse

A member of Tarawatch, Michael Canney said “The government
are attempting to frame the debate over the M3 in terms of
heritage and environmental campaigners VS the commuter and
motorist. We have set out today to convince motorists that the
length of commuting times is the real problem and that the lack
of public transport alternatives is contributing greatly to it. All of
this is a result of failed housing and transport strategies”. Mr.
Canney continued: “To add insult to injury, the long distance
commuter will now see their toll money, paid to NTR, used to
fund the M3. In effect their monies are going to be used by this
company to destroy the Tara complex”.

The new group sees itself as an extending and broadening the
already existing campaign against the plan to run the new M3
through the Tara-Skryne Valley. It intends to be action oriented
and will be launching a major website next week.

Another member of the group said: “The government have
overruled their own experts, ignored national and international
academic opinion and resisted and slandered those seeking to
challenge their actions through the courts. We are now
beginning to mobilise for the next stage of the campaign. We
represent the majority of public opinion on this issue and we will
not allow this opinion to be ignored.”

Campaigner unveils ‘alternative’ M3 route
By Elaine Edwards Ireland.com Last updated: 19-08-05, 16:39

A campaigner against the proposed route of the new M3 motorway near
the Hill of Tara in Co Meath has presented an alternative route for
the road, again urging that it be re-routed to avoid the historic
site.

A campaign graphic voicing opposition to the proposed M3 route
In a briefing on his legal action against the Government, lawyer
Vincent Salafia claimed that 70 per cent of more than 1,000
respondents in a recent survey by research group RED C favoured a 
different route for the M3, which will run from Clonee to Kells,
bypassing Dunshaughlin and Navan.

The campaigner said he had separated himself from the Tarawatch
protest group because he did not want them exposed to liability in
the event that he loses his High Court action against the route. He
said he was personally exposed financially if he loses the
forthcoming case.

Campaigners and their advisors are awaiting judgment from the Supreme
Court in a case related to the controversy over the Carrickmines
Castle site in Dublin. The outcome may have an effect on their legal
argument in the Tara case, which centres on technical points in
legislation under which the Minister for the Environment consented to
the route.

Mr Salafia expressed concern about the fact that no public hearing on
tolling had yet been heard, even though it has been widely reported
that the Eurolink consortium will toll the route and also receive a 
State subsidy.

Mr Salafia today presented what he said was a professionally designed
and “legally acceptable” engineering solution which would protect the
Hill of Tara. The alternative route is up to 2km shorter between
Navan and Dunshaughlin and brings the M3 nearer to Trim, which would
make sense he said.

“The NRA and the Government are saying ‘you must allow us to build
this motorway through Tara or you must sit in traffic jams; it’s the
only solution’. You, the motorist, and the citizen, were promised
upgrades and by-passes years ago, do not allow them to foist a 
destructive, wasteful and unsustainable – but highly lucrative –
motorway as a bullying tactic now,” he said.

“The only people who will benefit from the construction of the M3 are
the toll road operators and property speculators. The same company
who operate the M50 toll (NTR) have been selected as the preferred
bidder, they will operate it and profit from it in exactly the same
way. The prospect of large retail and commercial developments at
junctions along the route is a prime motivation behind large land
transfers in the Meath area.”

The NRA insists that the route chosen makes most sense economically
and that it will run further from the Hill of Tara than the existing
N3. However, Mr Salafia said Tara had to be considered a complex and
that it wasn’t confined to the hill itself. He wants the entire
complex declared a World Heritage Site.

Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said he would like to see the matter
brought back before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the
Environment, which is chaired by the Fianna F€ ¦áil TD Sean Haughey.

Mr Haughey has previously said that plans to run the route through
the Tara area were “bordering on vandalism” against one of the most
important historic sites in the country.

Mr Cuffe said today: “It’s about time he put his money where his
mouth is and moved it on.”

The Green Party TD also said he believed there was public concern
about some of the investigation methods currently being used on sites
around Tara. Diggers are in operation on a number of the sites and
some environmentalists claim they may cause irreparable damage to
terrain or artifacts of archeological and historical significance.

Sinn F€ ¦éin TD Aongus € ¦Ó Snodaigh said his party favoured rerouting the
road alongside the development of public transport alternatives such
as a rail line to Navan.

“My main point is the protection of our natural environment and also
our archeological and historical heritage. Anyone who has any
understanding of history will understand that the outlying area is
often more important than the site itself. If you start to destroy
the landscape you lose the sense of what was there.”

EXPERTS have come up with a plan to save ancient landmark Silbury Hill from collapsing in on itself ­ but they need up to £600,000 to carry it out.

English Heritage has reached a decision on which option to take to stabilise the ancient monument, the largest prehistoric man-made construction in Europe, and guarantee its continued existence for centuries to come.

It has chosen to re-enter Silbury Hill through the tunnel dug to its centre in 1968, the subject of a BBC film made by Magnus Magnusson at the time.

The existing material that has been used to backfill the various excavations that have taken place over the last 200 years or so will be removed and replaced with chalk to the same density as the surrounding mound material. The temporary capping at the top of the shaft dug into the hill in the 18th century, which is composed of expanded polystyrene, will be removed and it, too, replaced with chalk.

Bob Bewley, south west regional director for English Heritage, said: “The tunnels have never presented the major problem. Most of the subsidence is as a result of the shaft that was dug by the Duke of Northumberland’s men in 1776 straight down through the centre of the monument in the search for gold.

“They found no gold at the base but it has left us with major headaches as it has never been satisfactorily filled in and is the cause of all the major subsidence that has threatened Silbury Hill.”

Mr Bewley and his colleagues are confident that recent work to stabilise the monument will keep it safe in the short term while arrangements are made to undertake the massive effort to complete the repairs.

It has already been five years since a massive hole opened up at the top of Silbury Hill, which was exclusively reported by the Gazette at the time.

But Mr Bewley explained that rescuing a 4,700-year-old construction from dereliction is no short-term matter.

He said: “We have not taken the quick and easy fix but have tried to understand what is happening inside the hill, which is why is has taken so long to come up with our decision.

“When we are finished the hill will hopefully not require any further attentions for hundreds of years, although we will be monitoring it regularly.”

A project board meeting is due to be held in October when a decision will be taken to put the work out to tender.

Mr Bewley said: “We hope to find the right contractor in this financial year and the work will be started in either the next financial year or the following one.

“The biggest thing will be finding the money for the work. We reckon it is going to cost in the region of £500,000 or £600,000 and we are going to have to find that money from somewhere.

“Some of that may come from commercial sponsorship. Large companies and other organisations may be pleased to be involved with this kind of project.

“It is a World Heritage Site and will attract publicity from all over the world.”

From thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/marlborough/news/MARLB_NEWS_LOCAL7.html

Pembrokeshire is one of the ‘dig destinations’ for archaeology students this summer.

Dozens of students from all over the world are working in the county at a number of excavation sites, a major one being at Castell Henllys Iron Age Fort, which is owned and run by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. For over 25 years, students, led by Dr. Harold Mytum, of the University of York, have been returning to Castell Henllys to help unlock more of the secrets of this unique award-winning heritage site.

Phil Bennett, archaeological heritage manager for the National Park, has worked closely with the York University team for many years. “Each year brings new excitements and findings,” he said. “Gradually the fascinating history of the site is pieced together from evidence recovered from the excavation which gives us an insight to life here over 2,000 years ago.”

“The hillfort is brought to life using information based on the many discoveries made by archaeologists during the on-going dig which is now in its 26th year. This is the only Iron Age hillfort in Britain where roundhouses have been reconstructed on their original foundations.”

Dozens of family events are taking place during the summer at Castell Henllys, bringing the past to life and finding out how our ancestors lived. “It is really nice to see children enjoying themselves and learning about the past in such a vibrant way,” added Phil. “At events at Castell Henllys children dress up in Iron Age cloaks and experience daily life in prehistoric times. Older children can actually go and see how archaeological excavations work.” Further details are available from Castell Henllys on 01239 891319 or by checking out the website www.castellhenllys.com

From tenby-today.co.uk/today/options/news/newsdetail.cfm?id=16416

The people of Ireland are invited to visit the Hill of Tara on August 15th. Tara Day, to express their opposition to the proposed twice-tolled Motorway through the Gabhra (TaraSkryne) Valley. Information will be available on the 38 sites along the proposed route, including those presently being excavated and others that may be investigated in the future. Maps will be available and everyone is invited to visit these sites that lie so close to the bottom of the Hill. People are asked to gather from 3 p.m. onwards and at 7 p.m. we invite any politicians who wish to join us for information and photographs.

The 15th of August has been chosen for this event because on August 15th 1843 Daniel O’Connell held a monster meeting at Tara attended by an estimated 750,000 people. These people held a belief that the strength of their unity could make a difference to their freedom. That same flicker of belief burns deep within us all.

Daniel O’Connell was not alone in choosing Tara as a rallying or battle point. Many others saw Tara as the location from which to launch a campaign. It was used by Brian Boru, by the O’Neill’s in the sixteenth century and was the focal point of the 1641 rebellion. There was also a skirmish there during the 1798 rebellion.

One of the major battles between the Norse and the high-king of Ireland was the Battle of Tara fought between Mael Sechlainn and Olaf Cuaran for the prize of the kingdom of Brega (the land surrounding Tara) and for Tara itself.

The public are asked to bring their county flags and the tri-colour with them to express their support of those who oppose the routing of the proposed road through the Valley. People are also invited to bring flags or banners representing various issues they might be trying to highlight in their own communities.

The National Roads Authority and Meath County Council have issued a propaganda pack on the archaeological aspects of the M3 and this is being selectively distributed countrywide. The pack includes a CD outlining how the proposed motorway might fit into the landscape.

However, Rath Lugh, one of the main outposts of Tara, has been
completely ignored. Perhaps the NRA and MCC do not want the public to know that it would be separated from its core, The impact on Skryne is also overlooked. Public taxpayers money is again being spent to promote a PPP project. The cost of this propaganda exercise is being investigated.

[email protected]

www.sacredireland.org

From the article in ‘This Is Wiltshire‘
thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/salisbury/news/SALIS_NEWS4.html

An English Heritage spokesman said: “We believe the grounds for refusal are ones that can easily be addressed and we will be discussing with Salisbury district council when to resubmit the scheme.”

Salisbury MP Robert Key said it was important that meetings to resolve concerns about the scheme were held quickly, to ensure the funding remained in place: “There is a worry that, if there continues to be this time-slippage, the lottery funding for the project will be allocated to the Olympic Games, which would love to get its hands on these millions of pounds,” he said.

The Heritage Lottery Fund says it will stick by this project for the time being, but something must be resolved. “If English Heritage does appeal against the council’s decision, it could take up to a year and Salisbury district council – and therefore the council taxpayer – could be facing a bill of £500,000. “It will save a lot of time and money if these issues can be resolved and the plans are resubmitted.”

The National Trust echoed the view, adding that the fundamental solution to Stonehenge’s problems was “resolving the current stranglehold of the A303 and A344”. Fiona Reynolds, director-general of the trust, said: “English Heritage’s plans are only one part of the vision to reunite the stones with their landscape and improve the experience for visitors.”

The district council said English Heritage had failed to demonstrate that the height, width and length of the land train and track would not have an adverse impact on residents, the world heritage site and archaeology. The council committee was also concerned about the impact on the flow of traffic on the A303.

From an article published on the BBC News web site on 29th July 2005:

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a Roman lead smelting site in a peat bog in Ceredigion.

Dating back about 2,000 years, Cambria Archaeology said mines in the Borth area could have supplied the heavy, bluish-grey metal for production.

Someone should really point out to this lot that 2000 years ago the Romans hadn’t got to Wales. Even taking the inaccuracies of carbon dating into account, it seems likely that the lead smelting was being carried out by the indigenous Celts rather than Romans.

Read the full article...

Archaeoptics, a team of scientists and archaeologists, conducted the digital scan, hailed as a major advance in archaeological techniques, which produced computerised three-dimensional images and analysis of the stones.
The work will be used to produce educational material on the stones and shed light on their position within the greater Callanish complex and current archaeo-astronomical theories.
Alastair Carty, of Archaeoptics, said: “This is the most accurate survey of the site carried out to date.
“The technique is basically a device which measures 1000 points per second providing full 3D dimensions similar to existing surveying techniques but far, far more accurate. It also builds a dense 3D model. The model could be used to create virtual astronomical events.
“We hope to help create a video or DVD that can add information about the stones through a fully interactive 3D model. As my equipment measures the area, an image builds up on the screen and you can immediately see what’s going on.”

More at theherald.co.uk/news/44048.html

“Stancliffe Stone are planning to extend a pre-existing quarry at Dale View, close to the Stone Circle and the Lees Cross and Endcliffe quarries which have recently been ruled dormant.

Stanton Against the Destruction of our Environment (SADE) are asking for people to join a human chain on Saturday, July 30, between Stanton-in-Peak and Stanton Lees from 11am.”

matlocktoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=749&ArticleID=1097027

Quarry firm Tarmac is offering to give 60 acres of land adjacent the ancient Thornborough Henges to the nation.
The company, currently in dispute with conservationists over its plans to extend quarrying operations near the 5,000 year old site, says its “significant donation” will help ensure the preservation of the henges.

But the offer by Tarmac has been given a cautious welcome by campaigners, amid accusations the gesture was both ‘a public relations exercise’ and ‘a fob’.

Announcing the offer, Tarmac area director Simon Phillips said: “We are proposing to gift the area of land to English Heritage or alternatively to a suitable charitable trust.”

Tarmac has previously discussed the long term management of the henges with English Heritage, but in the past they have declined the opportunity to take over direct responsibility. “We hope they will consider this new proposal and agree to the significant donation we have offered today,” said Mr Phillips.

“The monument is attracting increasing numbers of visitors and we believe the time is right for this area of land to be donated to an appropriate conservation body.

“The gift will enable the area to be put down in perpetuity to pasture. For the first time ever, the immediate setting of the northern henge will be preserved forever as an archaeological reserve.

“The preservation of the henges is vitally important to us all, and we look forward to working with English Heritage and North Yorkshire County Council to develop this charitable trust.”

In response, chairman of the Friends of Thornborough, Jon Lowery said: “My initial reaction is we have got to welcome any such move but the devil is in the detail – to whom will it be given?

“Of course, we have to realise all this talk about preserving the heritage is all a fob. The whole thing is a public relations exercise – they are not there as a benevolent organisation, they are there as a mining company.”

Chairman of campaign group TimeWatch, George Chaplin, also urged caution.

“The fact is, the ritual landscape of the Thornborough Henges covers a great deal more than 60 acres and whilst we welcome this offer, we think that this may be a case of Tarmac attempting to buy off the protestors without taking into account the true extent of the archaeology,” he said.

“However, this does mean that Tarmac are now willing to accept that preserving the archaeology of the Thornborough Henges is important.”

North Yorkshire County Council is expected to make a decision on Tarmac’s planning application for quarrying at Ladybridge Farm, half a mile from the henges, in September.
29 July 2005

ripontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=18&ArticleID=1099950

Tim Cunningham, 27th July 2005

A mile-long human chain will be formed to protest at new plans for a Stanton Moor quarry.

Residents of Stanton-in-Peak were devastated to learn Matlock quarrying firm Stancliffe Stone plans to extend a pre-existing quarry at nearby Dale View.

The news came as residents were celebrating after a recent decision by the Court of Appeal ruled that Lees Cross and Endcliffe quarries are dormant.

Local people and eco-warriors have been fighting to protect the landscape for the last five years.

Julie Kidd, of the action group Stanton Against the Destruction of our Environment (SADE) said: “Everyone thinks the war is won, but it’s not for us.

“Stancliffe Stone are abandoning Lees Cross and Endcliffe to focus on a greenfield extension to Dale View quarry instead.

“But Dale View is already Britain’s largest dimensional stone quarry. It’s closer than ever to the stone circle, and much, much closer to the village.”

The campaigners say that the extension will ruin the most popular approach to the Nine Ladies site and that environmental damage will be much more visible.

Ms Kidd said: “We’re completely mystified as to why the National Park Authority is even entertaining the idea. They seem to think this glorious piece of English countryside has no value.

“We believe when Stancliffe Stone and the National Park Authority see the size of this protest – when they realise we mean business in a big, big way – they’ll understand they have to think again.”

SADE’s chairman Nick Moor said: “We’re not anti-quarrying, we’re anti-greed. The proposed extension is just too big – it’s over a mile round.

“Poor Stanton Moor just can’t take another massive onslaught.”

A spokesperson for the Park Authority said: “The situation remains unchanged – we have received no planning application to extend Dale View quarry.

“If we do, it will be subject to an open and transparent public planning process, entailing a full environmental assessment and scrutiny by the Authority. It would be a completely new full application that would be subject to the highest standards of scrutiny.”

Stancliffe Stone General Manager Mike Jones said: “We held a pre-consultation event for local residents and interested groups so that we could listen to their feedback and use it constructively to help us develop our plans.

“And that’s exactly what we’ve done, revising the boundary of the proposed extension to ensure no quarrying will take place near the woodland which forms a natural buffer between the proposed quarry extension and the village.”

Stancliffe – a subsidiary of building-supplies giant Marshalls Plc – says it will be applying for a reduced number of lorry movements as part of its extension application.

SADE are encouraging people to join the chain on Saturday, July 30, between Stanton-in-Peak and Stanton Lees from 11am.

From: matlocktoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=749&ArticleID=1097027

“Plans for a £67m visitor centre at Stonehenge have been turned down over worries about the environment.
Salisbury District Council said the decision to refuse the plan was exacerbated by government plans to review upgrades to the nearby A303.”

Full BBC story at:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wiltshire/4719555.stm

________________________________________________________

Update: English Heitage to re-submit plans

“English Heritage is very surprised and disappointed by this decision......
We believe that the grounds for refusal are ones which can easily be addressed and will be discussing with Salisbury District Council when to re-submit the scheme.”

Press release:
english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.5437

The Observer – 25 July 2005

Stonehenge has always mystified. Julius Caesar thought it was the work of druids, medieval scholars believed it was the handiwork of Merlin, while local folk tales simply blamed the devil.

Now scientists are demanding a full-scale research programme be launched to update our knowledge of the monument and discover precisely who built it and its burial barrow graves.

Click here for full article: observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1535032,00.html

The Save the TaraSkryne Valley Group call on all concerned citizens to join them in a peaceful protest at the so-called “archaeological” dig at the foot of Tara’s Hill. This will be held on Monday 25th July at 7pm at Philpotstown/Blundelstown.

The site is well marked by the archaeological company on the N3 just north of the entrance to Tara as you travel in the Navan direction. We will collect at the gate where the site is visible.

Recent photographs in the newspapers show that the top of the Hill is clearly visible from this area. The coffee shop and church can be seen clearly in the distance. Photographs show topsoil being lifted by diggers and driven over by caterpillar wheels. More recently, pick axes are being used in 3 foot trenches.

Donald Murphy, managing director of Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd. said at a public seminar in Dalgan Park on the 11th June: “There won’t be big 22 tonne mechanical excavators just rooting the topsoil off the top.” He also stated: “The excavations as they take place … will be open to the public for viewing.” This is not the experience of the public heretofore. This is the company who were responsible for the excavations at Woodstown. He also admitted: “We are not experts on Tara.”

Minister Roche stated: “I am satisfied that the directions I have issued will ensure best practice in the carrying out of the archaeological work … They will protect heritage.” But Pat Wallace of the National Museum stated in his letter to the Minister regarding excavators: “The chances of retrieving archaeological objects in the face of heavy machinery of this sort are … very limited indeed.”

Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin, PRO for the Save TaraSkryne Valley group said:
“Public money is being wasted on this unnecessary excavation. This is not research archaeology. Lowest standards are being applied to our most important archaeological, literary, historical and sacred landscape. This is wanton destruction and vandalism. The insistence on this particular route and the methods used is just sinister.”

orkneyjar.com/archaeology/trotty2005finds.htm has the newspaper report from last week after the re-discovery of the amber beads. The image of the cist area shows the pair of standing stones that hem the cist itself.

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) has responded to news that the proposed tunnelling of a main road past Stonehenge is to be reviewed after its estimated cost doubled. The CBA hopes the Government will reconsider the whole scheme.

“We were strongly opposed to the planned tunnel,” said Mike Heyworth, Director of the CBA. “Now it sounds as if they’re going to kick it into the long grass.”

A statement from the CBA confirmed that it remains: “resolutely opposed to the proposals for a short tunnel, which removes the A303 from the immediate vicinity of the stones but only at the cost of major damage to the rest of the World Heritage Site. The CBA believes that it is essential to look beyond the area visible from Stonehenge itself, as its prehistoric builders so clearly did, to appreciate the extraordinary landscape of ceremonial and funerary monuments around it.”

Mike Heyworth explained that for the CBA, the most pressing issue is the closure of the A344 (which runs right by the stones) and the relocation of the visitor centre. He believes there are other options that haven’t been explored, in particular a new surface route outside the World Heritage Site, which the CBA will be strongly pushing for.

He commented: “It is ironic that the Government has made this announcement during National Archaeology Week ... The CBA urges the Government to use the forthcoming review to seek a world class solution for a world class archaeological landscape.”

taken from the article by Caroline Lewis
at the 24hr Museum website
24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART29513.html

The government is to re-examine plans for a road scheme aimed at diverting traffic away from Stonehenge after the cost of the project doubled.
The scheme, which includes building a tunnel for the A303 near the ancient Wiltshire site, was estimated to cost £183m when it was announced in 2002.

But now the government says the project will cost around £470m

A detailed review of the tunnel plan, as well as other road proposals for the site, will now be carried out.

More at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/4699477.stm

The “national disgrace” of Stonehenge is back where it started. After decades of argument and millions spent, the government yesterday went back to the drawing board on the traffic-choked roads which strangle the world heritage site.
Supporters and opponents of the tunnel were equally stunned. The Campaign to Protect Rural England, noting the approved proposal for a new 50-mile toll motorway beside the M6, said: “The government’s green credentials have withered in the heat.”

English Heritage, whose new, Australian-designed visitor centre is dependent on resolving the roads issue, said it understood concern over costs.“However, we continue to believe that the proposed road scheme represents the best value for money for achieving all the desired improvements while offering protection to the underlying archaeology.”

The National Trust, owner of thousands of acres of surrounding farmland, has called for a much longer tunnel. It said the review “should not in any way diminish the quality of the long-awaited project, or delay it substantially”.

Mike Pitts, an archaeologist who has excavated at Stonehenge, and written about the site, said: “This is terrible news. In the wake of winning the London bid for the Olympics, it hardly encourages belief in the government’s support for grand projects.”

from the article by
Maev Kennedy in The Guardian
guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1532745,00.html

Roads Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman today announced that a detailed review of the options to ease congestion on the A303 and improve the setting around Stonehenge is to be carried out.

The review is necessary because there has been a very substantial increase in the estimated costs of the proposed Stonehenge tunnel since the scheme went to Public Inquiry.

Following recent detailed site survey work carried out by the Highways Agency the estimated costs of the scheme have risen from £284m when the draft Orders were published in 2003 to some £470m. This significant increase on original costs is due to two main factors; very large quantities of phosphatic (soft, weak) chalk and a high water table, with the groundwater potentially rising to the surface at times of heavy rainfall. These factors would significantly complicate the tunnelling process and extend the overall construction period of the scheme.

Dr Stephen Ladyman said:

“The increase in scheme costs represents a significant change to the basis on which the Government originally decided to progress this scheme. Our recognition of the importance of Stonehenge as a World Heritage Site remains unchanged but given the scale of the cost increase we have to re-examine whether the scheme still represents value for money and if it remains the best option for delivering the desired improvements”.

The Government plans to carry out a detailed review of the options, consulting relevant environmental interests including, in particular, English Heritage and the National Trust, before taking a final decision on the Inspector’s Report. The review will also consider the implications of delaying the Stonehenge scheme for the delivery of improvements proposed for other single carriageway sections of the A303 further to the west. We will make an announcement on the way forward as soon as possible.

more at the DoT website:
dft.gov.uk/pns/displaypn.cgi?pn_id=2005_0081

Controversial plans to extend quarrying near an ancient monument known as the Stonehenge of the north are being discussed by councillors.

Tarmac has applied to extend its sand and gravel operations at a site near Thornborough Henges, North Yorkshire.

If approved, campaigners fear the work could destroy clues as to why the 5,000-year-old earthworks were built.

Tarmac said only scattered evidence of prehistoric activity had been found at the Ladybridge Farm site, near Ripon.

On Tuesday, members of the North Yorkshire County Council planning board will discuss the application for quarrying at the farm.

Local campaign group Timewatch, which has collected a petition of more than 1,500 signatures against the plans, said the quarry would cause the permanent loss of nationally important archaeology.

US-based conservation group the Landmarks Foundation has described the quarry proposals as a tragedy.

The henges are believed to represent one of Britain’s largest ritual gathering places from the Neolithic period.

Tarmac already has a quarry at Nosterfield, close to the ancient henges which consist of three earthworks built in a line running north-south for about a mile.

Tarmac has said the planned quarry extension is on farmland where there is only “thin and scattered” evidence of prehistoric activity, according to a recent study by archaeological consultants.

The company has said archaeologists would be present on the site and if they found anything of significance, they had the power to stop quarrying activity.

Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4693695.stm

Published: 2005/07/18 18:36:30 GMT

A priceless 4,000-year-old gold cape is to return to north-east Wales for the first time since it was discovered there in 1833.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/4682865.stm

Workers digging a new rubbish tip at Walpole nr Bridgewater have found the remains of an ancient causeway and fish weir. Archaeologist Richard Brunning has provisionally dated them to 4.500 BCE.

More here...

Two years ago Russian archaeologist Ilya Akhmedov made a sensational discovery; he found an ancient structure ‘resembling’ Stonehenge near the site of the ancient settlement of Staraya Ryazanin in the village Spasskaya Luka.

Source english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/377/15764_stonehenge.html