|
The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Silbury Hill » Silbury updates |
This topic is locked
|
|
|
|
| Topic View: Flat | Threaded | |
|
slumpystones 769 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 14:36
|
||
|
Littlestone wrote: Well they didn't put it on the site, but at least I got a reply: Excellent letters slumpy! (English Heritage didn't really reply to you with "Dear Mr Angry Bastard" did they :-) No, but that was the persona I took on for the duration - it beats being called Anglegrinder Man as I have been elsewhere! I still find their lack of clarity on every issue frustrating. They seem to think the complaint is that the hill will be less stable, totally overlooking any realistic objections. Of course the hill will not be any less stable having a barrel stuck inside, so it's another smokescreen. Maybe everyone should apply to insert something into Silbury, giving equally good reasons for doing so, and accepting no rejection from EH. Maybe when there are a thousand time capsules they might stop and reconsider.
|
|||
|
nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 14:58
|
||
|
Thanks to those who noticed their reply would be as I predicted. Just to wring maximum self-satisfaction out of the process, please not they also confirmed my further prediction, that they would suggest "it's the kids, stupid" as the clincher for their wrong choice. Not only is it the wrong justification for the wrong choice its also an entry for the Irony of the Year competition - The very last act of a process that has been characterised by secrecy, exclusivity and a failure to inform the public will be to say - Dear Aveburyites, no you can't come in and look, only those chosen by us qualify for that, but you can put some notes in this box to demonstrate to posterity that this was a sharing, caring, community project.
|
|||
|
slumpystones 769 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 15:14
|
||
|
Are they going to vet the notes before they go in? How about these: "Did anyone see my notebook?" - R Atkinson "Built with passion, excavated with ignorance, refilled with tat" Better still, they could hollow the hill, make it into Hobbiton and rent out the rooms for the summer!
|
|||
Littlestone 5386 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 16:14
|
||
|
The very last act of a process that has been characterised by secrecy, exclusivity and a failure to inform the public will be to say - Dear Aveburyites, no you can't come in and look, only those chosen by us qualify for that, but you can put some notes in this box to demonstrate to posterity that this was a sharing, caring, community project. I'd laugh if this whole sorry saga were not so sad. Thing is, I don't think English Heritage are actually clever enough to concoct such a cunning plan; their lack of transparency seems to be coming from a lack of intelligence (re: their ill-informed, knee-jerk answers to our questions). That's not to say that they can't be devious little tos*ers when they need to be, more that they're just stupid little tos*ers, especially when they're in a corner being asked difficult questions. Like politicians and bureaucrats everywhere, English Heritage don't seem to know what they're doing and are just making things up as they go along. You were quite right to predict the above - and I wouldn't mind betting that the next thing to happen will be for English Heritage to close down its Silbury Updates website due to 'technical difficulties' (and if they really are clever they'll no doubt then blame those 'difficulties' on us ;-)
|
|||
|
slumpystones 769 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 16:24
|
||
|
Does anyone know the projected date for the insertion of the thing? Without wishing to be arrested for suggesting an illegal public gathering [my arse is covered now!], does this not seem a prime candidate for a public demonstration? Surely many diverse groups would be interested in making their feelings felt, and with thousands of people actually on the ground, it might make EH think again.
|
|||
|
Littlestone 5386 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 18:51
|
||
|
...does this not seem a prime candidate for a public demonstration? Surely many diverse groups would be interested in making their feelings felt, and with thousands of people actually on the ground, it might make EH think again. If past performance is anything to go by English Heritage will already be waking up to the fact that their time capsule idea is both unprofessional and inappropriate. Expect another change of tact from English Heritage along the lines of, "Due to concern from certain conservation and spiritual groups, with regard to a time capsule being left inside the Silbury monument, English Heritage have decided to locate the capsule outside the monument at..." English Heritage have also made the tactical error of placing themselves several weeks into their 'Conservation Project' at Silbury when the summer solstice celebrations take place at Avebury. No doubt the English Heritage/Silbury fiasco in general (as well as the ridiculous time capsule idea) will be among the topics discussed by the many diverse groups gathered at Avebury at that time.
|
|||
|
slumpystones 769 posts |
Jun 05, 2007, 19:37
|
||
|
No doubt the spin doctors will be out in force, converting EH from the bad guys to caring, listening, aware people, willing to agree to what the people want. In the meantime, here's a pic that Pete G didn't get. The discovery of Richard Atkinson's notebook by a couple of EH's finest. http://tinyurl.com/2hbe42
|
|||
|
nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jun 06, 2007, 06:38
|
||
|
Dear Sirs, You appear to be saying the Time Capsule issue has two competing sides. I beg to differ. Could you please point to the conservation authority for the pro-capsule sentiment. You further suggest the capsule is an issue to be balanced against alleged benefits it brings in terms of local participation. Please explain where this view is supported in conservation conventions. Please explain which part of your two statutory duties - a. to protect and b. to learn is being utilised to authorise you to proceed with putting a time capsule inside a scheduled monument. How does your intention measure up to ASLAN and other charters which express the general sentiment "leave only footprints" etc Will your action impact upon how the general public behave towards sites in future? Please justify your intention relative to the following 6 principles in Burra - "Conservation may, according to circumstance, include the processes of: retention or reintroduction of a use; retention of associations and meanings; maintenance, preservation, restoration, reconstruction, adaptation and interpretation; and will commonly include a combination of more than one of these. " (NB time capsules ain’t retention or reintroduction of a use, they’re inventing a new one) "Change may be necessary to retain cultural significance, but is undesirable where it reduces cultural significance. The amount of change to a place should be guided by the cultural significance of the place and its appropriate interpretation." (NB Time capsules impose new cultural significance not retain existing) "Restoration and reconstruction should reveal culturally significant aspects of the place." (NB not add new aspects) "Significant associations between people and a place should be respected, retained and not obscured." (NB, but not newly added) "Written statements of cultural significance and policy for the place should be prepared, justified and accompanied by supporting evidence. The statements of significance and policy should be incorporated into a management plan for the place. " (NB, so if you’re going to go ahead and impose new cultural significance the public could do with a detailed written justification – which currently is absent from the Management Plan) "Groups and individuals with associations with a place as well as those involved in its management should be provided with opportunities to contribute to and participate in understanding the cultural significance of the place. Where appropriate they should also have opportunities to participate in its conservation and management." (NB, “to contribute and to participate”. Are you seriously interpreting that to mean “put stuff inside”? Surely not?) Cheers.
|
|||
|
Littlestone 5386 posts |
Jun 06, 2007, 07:32
|
||
|
Spot on as always Nigel! May I also suggest that you send your eleven questions to English Heritage's 'Ask the Experts' board; hopefully that will jumpstart EH into publishing the questions others have asked them (and their answers to those questions) - something they have so far failed to do.
|
|||
|
slumpystones 769 posts |
Jun 06, 2007, 08:03
|
||
'Ask the Experts' is what it says it is. A shallow 'satisfy the crowds' exercise designed to keep everyone happy.
|
| Pages: 67 – [ Previous | 1 … 8 9 10 11 12 13 | Next ] | This topic is locked |
|
|
|
| The Modern Antiquarian Forum Index | |
