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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Avebury |
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hedgedruid 87 posts |
Mar 17, 2018, 20:09
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we're visiting avebury at easter w/e , heard from a friend a lot of the site is fenced off , can anyone let me know what is happening ? Many Thanks
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tjj 3606 posts |
Mar 18, 2018, 09:58
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hedgedruid wrote: we're visiting avebury at easter w/e , heard from a friend a lot of the site is fenced off , can anyone let me know what is happening ? Many Thanks Hi, I'm sure you've seen this link already ... https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury/features/we-look-after-the-henge-and-stone-circle-for-ever-for-everyone- the entire stone circle was cordoned off for a while but later parts of it re-opened. It probably goes without saying all facilities at Avebury are closed today due to heavy snow. The 49 bus service has also been suspended today. I'm sure by Easter signs of spring will be visible again.
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Howburn Digger 986 posts |
Mar 18, 2018, 12:29
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Apparently there is a muddy puddle some distance from a couple of the stones. Thankfully some of the best brains in the land have been employed at vast expense to do a risk assessment and have wisely erred on the side of extreme caution. The prospect of visitors blindly wading through "deepening mud" and destroying the archaeology has meant the closure of much of the Avebury site. In a fit of unbridled generosity the National Trust have decided to waive parking charges thus allowing the curious to park uip and look at the stones through their car windscreens and take a sip from their thermos while gnashing their teeth. You see the danger is... that many people do not have the sense to walk around a puddle.
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hedgedruid 87 posts |
Mar 18, 2018, 16:28
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ah yes , lots of people like that , some would probably lie down in the puddle and drown
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hedgedruid 87 posts |
Mar 18, 2018, 16:33
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Thanks , tjj , at least we can go to the "post office" we don't have those in the north !
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CR 29 posts |
Mar 20, 2018, 11:00
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lol@ muddy-puddle Risk-Assessments... BUT: In all seriousness - and with some inside knowledge - there IS an increasing EROSION problem at Avebury. The topsoil/surface is becoming badly damaged in places - this affects surface drainage and accelerates the problem. There really is LONG-term risk to the overall monument, its setting, and potentially its accessibility....IF nothing is done soon :/ None of the problems are insurmountable - However where is the funding and will ?? The Wiltshire County Archaeologist seems to have very little interest in the site and is probably wetting panties at the prospect of the Stonehenge Tunnel. A very small fraction of 2.2 billion would certainly help resolve long term erosion at Avebury ...:/ A recent proposal was to create interactive-portable apps for visors at the site, including visualizations of the monument and virtual-overlay type images. etc etc... This was part of upgrading Aveburys internet connection and creating better visitor center, with the aim of offsetting some possible restrictions on direct footfall over the most sensitive parts of the monument (and also a source of direct income for the Monument itself - now necessary after Governmental changes in funding policies...!) This was blocked by the Wiltshire County Archaeologist - no funding or action is proposed for Avebury - and thus the Avebury Mangers must take the only course of action left - and directly close off parts of the Monument, for the sake of preventing damage. So - bad though this may seem, the blame MUST NOT be placed on the Avebury Staff, who strive very hard to both preserve and present the monument to the public (and now have to generate income as well). Instead blame government policy and the (in)competency of Wiltshire CC !!!
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tjj 3606 posts |
Mar 20, 2018, 22:42
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CR wrote: So - bad though this may seem, the blame MUST NOT be placed on the Avebury Staff, who strive very hard to both preserve and present the monument to the public (and now have to generate income as well). Instead blame government policy and the (in)competency of Wiltshire CC !!! I'm a bit nervous about the "now have to generate income as well" - is the cordoning off a precursor to charging an entry fee (as with SH). I travel through Avebury at least once a week and noticed back before Xmas there was an astonishing number of molehills in the NE and SE quarters - am wondering if this contributed to the general muddiness near the entry gates. I'm sure all will be well when the sun starts to warm the earth as will happen now we are passing the Spring equinox.
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Howburn Digger 986 posts |
Mar 21, 2018, 21:43
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CR wrote: lol@ muddy-puddle Risk-Assessments... So ... the blame MUST NOT be placed on the Avebury Staff, who strive very hard to both preserve and present the monument to the public (and now have to generate income as well). Instead blame government policy and the (in)competency of Wiltshire CC !!! I don't think anyone is blaming anyone for the rain. Some of Avebury is footpathed and some is not. Like this.. https://goo.gl/maps/Jtd4jafe89R2 It would be a pity to lay road metal, gravel paths, drainage and other unsightly stuff over the turf. I like walking on turf at sites. I think it is good that Avebury isn't totally paved over with attendant storm drains and such-like. Maybe next time there is a big puddle the staff could put a temporary barrier round it like councils do with paths roads etc where there is a hazard (quick-witted supermarkets do this after a Milk Crisis in aisle 7. I am really glad the Wiltshire County Archaeologist blocked moves to CR wrote: "create interactive-portable apps for visors at the site, including visualizations of the monument and virtual-overlay type images. etc etc... This was part of upgrading Aveburys internet connection and creating better visitor center, with the aim of offsetting some possible restrictions on direct footfall over the most sensitive parts of the monument (and also a source of direct income for the Monument itself - now necessary after Governmental changes in funding policies...!) This was blocked by the Wiltshire County Archaeologist - no funding or action is proposed for Avebury - and thus the Avebury Mangers must take the only course of action left - and directly close off parts of the Monument, for the sake of preventing damage. A source of direct income for the site itself? What exactly do the stones need income for? Earth-fast stones ina field grazed by sheep? I'm afraid I see the closing off of vast areas of the site as a precursor to what everyone suspects. First create a Milk Crisis ("reduce footfall over the most sensitive parts of the monument") Is that "most sensitive area of the site" the wee patch of dirt where the cattle feet, sheep feet and human feet have worn the turf a little? On looking at aerial images and the Google foot trail across the site there seems to be a fraction of less than one percent of the turf worn anywhere. Here. https://goo.gl/maps/KPxyZKXwx372 Perhaps some judicious seeding of grass, buttercups and clover could be arranged. Or a suitable "wig" of turf from a surrounding bit of pasture might be cosmetically "Eltoned" onto the bald area. This p*sh reeks of self-justification by Heritage Industry through the creation of a fake Milk Crisis in Aisle 7. https://youtu.be/ZMeJx1jP2C0
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moss 2897 posts |
Mar 22, 2018, 07:43
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Howburn Digger wrote: Perhaps some judicious seeding of grass, buttercups and clover could be arranged. Or a suitable "wig" of turf from a surrounding bit of pasture might be cosmetically "Eltoned" onto the bald area. This p*sh reeks of self-justification by Heritage Industry through the creation of a fake Milk Crisis in Aisle 7. Well there is definitely some mud there, though hasn't the damage been done by a vehicle, those straight lines don't look human? according to this news item on the BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-43154577 Trouble is we all want to go to Avebury it has become over popularised and too many humans around, like Stonehenge a 'honeypot' to be exploited sadly.
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tjj 3606 posts |
Mar 22, 2018, 17:55
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moss wrote: Trouble is we all want to go to Avebury it has become over popularised and too many humans around, like Stonehenge a 'honeypot' to be exploited sadly. The National Trust car park is nearly always at least partially full between the times of 10am - 4.00pm (later in the summer months of course). Anyone who wants Avebury to themselves should go a bit earlier/later or walk out beyond the stone circle in almost any direction to experience solitude and few, if any, other people. As you know Moss, the Avebury World Heritage Site encompasses a wide area of great archaeological wealth plus a profusion of wild flowers, butterflies etc. I personally think it would be a great shame if visitors were charged to go into the circle in the name of preserving it - hard to enforce too (except for gullible tourists being shepherded around).
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