An archaeology site in West Cornwall has been damaged. The Bronze Age monument known as Men-an-Tol, was found with cattle hair and hoof prints in the ground.
Locals action group ‘Save Penwith Moors’ say it has been caused by cattle introduced under a Natural England scheme. They are calling on English Heritage and Natural England to take action.
itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2013-04-02/bronze-age-monument-damaged-by-cattle/?
Note; as in the case of Trevethy Quoit, the damage has apparently been 'flattened down' by the farmer, and the cattle temporarily removed. Penwith Moor is an ongoing fight between local Cornish people and national bodies such as Natural England. See F/B for further information.
I don't personally approve of stones being re-erected in concrete, but in this instance it has probably saved the doughnut from being completely flattened. The animals are not to blame of course as they are only doing what comes natural to them, it is the inconsiderate landowners as usual and those who don't give a fig for our heritage.
With regard to Trethevy, I was informed by EH that there was a 6ft exclusion zone around the quoit that was legally written in to the landowners deeds ensuring that he/she protected the monument. That obviously didn't happen!
It's truly awful as usual, but on another note, i'd like to see the stones put back into there original places and the remaining circle stones put back up and let people realize what they're visiting - a stone circle, as most people who visit thinks it's a row with a holed stone in the middle because many don't notice the other stones because of the row, if they were moved and the other stones put back up you'd at least have a nice arc and people could tell what it really was, it's a nice lie but a lie nevertheless.
savepenwithmoors.com/UPDATES.htm#WORLD FAMOUS BRONZE AGE MONUMENT UNDER THREAT
Fucking hell TSC, that's unbelievable isn't it. Utter bastards.
This battle has been going on for a few months now, it is primarily concerned with the fencing and grazing of cattle on the moor, the stones damage is a subtext to this, obviously access to the moor without having to negotiate barbed wire and gates is important to visitors and local people. Probably more important is the age old cry of 'enclosure of land' by the rich backed up by statutory bodies such as Defra, Natural England and English Heritage.
Obviously putting cattle on the moor aggravates destruction of the stones given the wretched weather we have been having, but the matter is far from simple, and the dogged determination of the Save Penwith Moor group should be applauded.
This is my interpretation of what is happening by the way....
This has been going on for several years now, Save Penwith Moors have certainly campaigned doggedly. One of the founders is Ian McNeill Cooke, who has written some great guide books to West Penwith prehistoric sites.
stonepages.com/news/archives/003108.html