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The Bosham Stone
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megalith6
46 posts

Re: The Bosham Stone
Feb 17, 2013, 20:10
Hi there,

Thanks to Littlestone for this important thread.

I've just checked with an online pdf and "West Kennet" which is mentioned at the Bosham page is indeed well within the Avebury WHS, thus the removal of this stone - if unauthorised - would surely constitute a violation of the Heritage Site. Secondly, there are other properties at this location but if the removal occurred within the grounds of West Kennet Farm this is a Grade II listed building and the removal of a sarsen stone from it would presumably need to be authorised by English Heritage or at the very least Wiltshire County Council, was this done? Thirdly, West Kennet (Kennett the older spelling, so either is ok) is on a direct line of the presumed course of the megalithic avenue so this would not just be any old piece of sarsen lying so close to a prehistoric feature. Even if it were incidental it ought to remain 'in situ' just in case it represents a missing part of the wrecked avenue jig saw puzzle.

For the WHS plan:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/whs-avebury-whs-leaflet.pdf

With regard to the possible symbolic pairing of the avenue stones - Aubrey Burl, ‘Prehistoric Avebury’ (2002) page 76: Alexander Keiller and Stuart Piggott had noted that “along the rows of the [West Kennet] avenue ... the ... long thin pillar and a broader diamond [shape perhaps] ... denoting male and female symbols ... a fertility cult ... one of the first objective interpretations of what Avebury might have been used for”.

The fact is that now in the light of the alleged Bosham Stone incident I think that no fallen or buried stone at Avebury is safe and all the known buried stones (quite a few) should be carefully and scientifically raised where they can be visually accounted for and remain unmolested and relatively safe.

Bests,

Ric
In reply to:
Re: The Bosham Stone (Littlestone)		 Replies:
Re: The Bosham Stone (harestonesdown)
Re: The Bosham Stone (thesweetcheat)
Re: The Bosham Stone (Littlestone)
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