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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Silbury Hill » Silbury updates |
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Littlestone 5386 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 11:14
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As to apportioning blame, I feel that is a pretty pointless exercise. Without doubt the root cause of this is the water seeping down through the hill causing failure and collapse of material around an exisiting large void. Of course blame should be apportioned, and it should be apportioned to those at English Heritage for not addressing the problem since the hole at the top of Silbury first appeared in 2000. For seven years water has seeped into the structure because of inadequate measures taken since then, and even now English Heritage are doing nothing to prevent further seepage from the heavy rain expect over the weekend. It's not rocket science; a temporary cover, as ocifant suggested above, could be put up today. Oh, sorry, it's Saturday today isn't it - those at English Heritage responsible for this fiasco are probably taking the day off. Talk about Rome burning. Let me ask you this; if English Heritage do not provide a temporary cover, immediately, and further collapses do occur as a result of that negligence, will you still be happy not apportion blame to those responsible?
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moss 2897 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 11:23
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fool on the hill wrote: upwards, like taking the mould away from an unstable jelly. As to apportioning blame, I feel that is a pretty pointless exercise. Without doubt the root cause of this is the water seeping down through the hill causing failure and collapse of material around an exisiting large void. Were EH right to open the tunnel, in my view most definately so? Who could have predicited the horrendous wet weather we have had recently? But plenty of people (including some on here) did mute the posibility so should contingencies have been made? Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I hope it is not too late to put up 'the brolly' and to backfill as safely as possible. We were allowed to take photographs in the hill but EH did request that we would not publish them on the interweb so I hope the above will give you a good image. the fool Hi, Thats an interesting account, you were very lucky to go into the tunnel, envy you somewhat. As you say the rain has been both heavy and unpredictable, and apart from Silbury has caused untold damage elsewhere, but if water was leaking down from the top surely a 'brolly' before the work commenced, or even earlier still, would have countered god's need to drown the landscape and cause damage to Silbury. When you take tiles off the roof of a house its normal to put up plastic sheeting to protect the wooden rafters that are exposed. Hindsight is indeed a great gift but the practical act of prevention would have made sure that the gods and unseasonal weather were'nt the winners. Lets hope Silbury can be backfilled safely for all concerned in the endeavour, I wish them well in what is turning out to be a dangerous undertaking.
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Robert Carr 84 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 13:55
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Thanks Fool on the Hill for your report. Sounds dangerous in there! fool on the hill wrote: As to apportioning blame, I feel that is a pretty pointless exercise. Yes I agree. That would be like blaming the people who have stinky water in their houses for their own predicament because they did not take adequate precautions. And who on earth would do that?
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goffik 3926 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 19:47
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Excellent report, FOTH... Thank you! I'm sure you'll get no booing or hissing here... It's jusr nice to get a report from the ground, so to speak... And it's a damn sight more information thatn we've had from anywhere else! :o) We all wish the workers the best of luck and hope all predicted collapses are far from reality... Although you're not allowed to post the imaegs on any websites, are you allowed to show them to other people who promise to also not post them on any websites, by email, say? I'd be very interested in seeing them. Just out of curiosity, nothing more... As Moss said - I think a few of us will be slightly envious of your visit! ;o) G x
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Littlestone 5386 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 21:03
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...the bureaucratic machine rolls ever on, a mindless creature set on mindless theatricals... You know, what is truly mind boggling bizarre about English Heritage's activities at Silbury is that only two weeks ago they were holding an Acoustic Silbury event on top of the structure where - Specialists in ancient music will play instruments from the top of the hill and we would like you to come along, listen from the surrounding landscape and tell us what you heard and how it sounded to you. *Tell you what I heard English Heritage, I heard the sounds of Jericho. While you fooled around with your latest ridiculous publication stunt Silbury was about to be flooded with yet another deluge - a deluge you could have prevented had there been a single competent 'expert' on your parole! * http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.17626
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 22:09
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"We were allowed to take photographs in the hill but EH did request that we would not publish them on the interweb" How very strange. And how fortunate they didn't invite me to go in (fat chance!). I'd have ignored their request, taken a vast number of photographs and spread them as far and as wide as I could to the public, whose hill it is and who are funding the whole thing.
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fool on the hill 2 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 22:48
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Due to techincal inadequacy on part of the user not all of my photos came out but the ones that did I shall get printed up and deposited at Devizes Museum & the Keiller Museum sometime this week for those of you in the local area. It is a shame EH have not pure more of the problematic ones on their site but only to be expected I suppose.
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jul 28, 2007, 23:08
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Thanks FoH, please let us know when you do. The fact that EH are presumably OK about you doing that but don't want them published on line is a bit of a mystery. I've been asking them to publish images and details of the extent of any collapses within this public monument at regular intervals for five and a half years, with absolutely zero results. Now, finally, I'm going to see some photographs, courtesy of you not them, but must undertake a 170 mile round trip to do so.
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Pilgrim 597 posts |
Edited Jul 28, 2007, 23:54
Jul 28, 2007, 23:53
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Hello fool on the hill, Thank you for your post. fool on the hill wrote: I was one of the people fortunate enough to be invited on one of the EH tours into the excavations last weekend (boo, hiss, traitor etc) and it was one of the most amazing and honoured experiences of my life. Lucky. Not sure if I would have had the balls to go in there. Whilst in no way wishing to prolong this agony, I would just lik to point out that the it took EH from 29 May 2000 to 16 August 2001 to get something other than a metal plate over the crater on the summit; a crater which had appeared as a consequence of heavy rains over the preceding weeks........aren't we supposed to learn from experience? fool on the hill wrote: We were allowed to take photographs in the hill but EH did request that we would not publish them on the interweb so I hope the above will give you a good image. Thus I find quite incredible. If the money for the restoration of the Mound is coming from the public purse, what right have EH to decide that this information is to be managed in such an overly controlling manner? It begs the question; whose information is it? This edict means that just those in the know get to see what is going on; the fact that people have been concerned with the state of Silbury for years means absolutely nothing to EH. Cynical Me says that they'll release this information once they have imparted their own spin on to it. It already sounds like Atkinson is becoming a sacrificial lamb... I'm sorry; I'm feeling angry and short-changed right now. We're paying for this in so many ways. Peace Pilgrim X
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Robert Carr 84 posts |
Jul 29, 2007, 06:25
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Littlestone wrote: - a deluge you could have prevented had there been a single competent 'expert' on your parole! Cor blimey! English Heritage are responsible for the weather too! Littlestone wrote: Tell you what I heard English Heritage, I heard the sounds of Jericho. The Prophet of Dooom speaks. Why are you addressing English Heritage? I doubt whether they are listening to your irrational diatribe.
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