Sunday, 3 May 2009

King Arthur and Stonehenge


The Stonehenge guardianship issue needs debate, and I for one believe that Stonehenge does need protecting, but the question is who should protect it? English Heritage? King Arthur? Also, why should the stones at Stonehenge be completely out-of-bounds? I can think of many better solutions...Therefore I have decided to publish a recent BBC news item, plus a selection of links in the hope that further interest is generated.

Stonehenge water colour by Paul Atlas-Saunders

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A Pagan who is due to be evicted from Stonehenge on Sunday afternoon after a 10-month sit-in protest says he has "absolutely no intention of leaving".

King Arthur Pendragon (pictured right), formerly known as John Rothwell, has been campaigning for better access to the attraction.

Wiltshire Council gained a legal order on Tuesday to evict the 55-year-old.

He says although he does not want to leave the World Heritage Site, he has "no plans to create any civil disorder so will not resist arrest".

"I will be back long before the Summer Solstice. I will continue in my lawful right to picket," said Mr Pendragon, who changed his name by deed poll in 1976.

'Picketing, not living'

He wants English Heritage to improve access to the World Heritage Site, a stretch of the A344 closed, and ancient remains, which were removed for study last summer, replaced.

Mr Pendragon, who is Battle Chieftain of the Council of British Druid Orders, denied he was living in caravans next to the A344 and said he was simply using the site as his protest base.

"The council's reason is I have no right to live on the highway and I'm saying I've not been living here, I'm picketing."

Stephen Helsby, Wiltshire Council's highways enforcement and traveller services manager, said: "This ancient byway - known locally as Netheravon Coach Road - is open to all traffic.

"Wiltshire Council, in its capacity as local highway authority, has a duty to maintain everybody's right to use its full width without interruption or other obstruction.

"The council strives to protect all of its public rights of way from trespass, and that includes byway 12 which is situated at the heart of this important World Heritage Site."

Source BBC News

See here for more

And here

Here also

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