Unhenged, undermining thornborough.

[Troll]

Well, the ?150 car made it. Arrived at Masham about midday with a York colleague. The Thornborough free festy had all but taken over the sleepy Yorkshire village. My first port of call was a stand on the market staffed by Tarmac campaign staff. I asked what was going on and was told that "we`re the opposition mate". Not much of an orator and should pose no threat at all. Plenty of bands hammered away as people wandered amongst stalls of well, stuff really. Crystals/incense/shiny things/music and-my favourite of the day-henge fridge magnets. A room had been set aside and talks were given. Twas where we sat. Masham was for me, an example of how every day people feel about their heritage.A deep rooted connection with and, respect for, our ancestors.In this case, a deep respect for our ancestors` sacred space that is encapsulated in the unique Thorneborough landscape. It`s simple for me, I`m not remotely interested in how this national issue is dressed by the Tarmac apologists and their grateful consultants- NO-ONE should be allowed to destroy for profit what is essentially not theirs to take.} I have retained some glossy stuff that I got from the Tarmac campaign-will send it to mr Hosty. One thing that did alarm me- where were all the big grown-up archaeologists that have made a living from these monuments? I saw four archaeologists there-me and my colleague were two of them. This issue is at the heart of all that is wrong in British archaeology today. Something pointed out by a gentleman from Rescue-consultants act on behalf of their clients.Developers are not clients.We as owners are the clients. Think we should get a lot louder and soon.Glossy and contrived hand outs like Tarmac`s need a response. Nicely done to all who organised and ran the day-you made me feel ashamed cos I`ve done nuffink. Who wants to play? Sacred landscape or a happy nest of Tarmac shareholders?[?]

[BAJR Host]

Cheers Troll... look forward to the glossy !

BAJR

Another day another WSI?

[troll]

Need a postal address sire. Would be good if we could look into ways in which we can (collectively) add some weight to this issue. Lots of members of the public are doing and saying something. Ideas en masse please!!

[BAJR Host]

BAJR
5/2 Hamilton Terrace
Edinburgh
EH15 1NB




Another day another WSI?

[Venutius]

Hi Troll,

I was stuck inddors all day so did not get a chance to see Tarmac. I got some very odd reports from people who visited the stand - apparently Tarmac were suggesting that it might not be too bad to quarry the Soluthern Henge and then recreate it as it would have been - they even sugested that this could be some sort of theme park.

I don't suppose you heard anything like this did you?

Save the Thornborough Henge Complex - http://www.timewatch.org

[troll]

Now I know that that should scare the living daylights out of me but, I`ve been around long enough to skip the "surprised" stage. Venutius, the glossy says it all for me. If I can ask mr Hosty to send it back when finished, I would love to deconstruct it here. Carefully headed "Neighbourhood News", this is a desperate but nonetheless Granny-friendly bit of contrived propoganda. Lots of primary colours and pictures of endearing Tarmac staff are seemlessly blended with shots of flowers in bloom, dragonflies and birdlife. This document has been laid out to draw attention to key points-one of which seemingly suggests that without Tarmac products,the success of a new oncology unit at St James`s Hospital in Leeds would be in jeopardy. This despite the fact that elsewhere, the document openly admits that there are other suppliers elswhere that could supply the 35, 000 tonnes of sand apparently needed from the Nosterfield Quarry. I could go on but, this document represents a frightened little Tarmac. A Tarmac so frightened in fact, that they are clearly willing to trust everything to an individual who has written a transparrently underhand and, some would say, inherently misleading version of "Neighbourhood News". Congratulations-Your day was a success and I hope, just the beginning. How can we help? carpe testiculum. By the way, have a look at the assessment report at http://www.archaeologicalplanningconsult...cts/noster

[mercenary]

Me and an archaeologist colleague also went, which makes six archs there I reckon Troll.

I missed the market and the Tarmac display as well as all the talks. A bit disappointing really, as that's what I wanted to see. We saw a few pretty decent bands and the whole thing seemed well organized and recieved.

Now for the difficult admission. We went because we wanted to guage local opinion on the present archaeology being done at Ladybridge. My company is doing it (as subcontractors to the archaeological consultants), and I'm not entirely sure that I disagree with the proposals so far. I say not entirely because I also got a copy of Tarmac's glossy propaganda and it annoyed me. "See our products in this nice new hospital" etc etc.

I have worked with the consultants that are being vilified on this one, and without reservation they are the best, most ethical consultants I've ever worked with. They have not been hired to minimize the archaeology. A staggering amount of evaluative work has and is still being done, far more than any other similar sized project that I've seen. It's being done exactly because of the special nature of the site.

Now, of course I'm dead set against quarrying of the henges, which some protestors seem to suggest is inevitable. But the hinterland? Surely we need to know as much as possible, and Tarmac is now permitting us to do that, whatever their past crimes. Preservation in-situ does not apear to be much of an option in the area around the henges until one of our heritage quango's stops it from being ploughed every year.

So, let the ****storm begin. I'm very open to debate.

PS. I don't work for a cowboy unit. We have been chosen because we are very good-not cheap!

[troll]

Mercenary- Six? Woohoo!! Sorry I missed you. Thankyou for your honesty and explaining your position-just the sort of participation I was hoping for! I have no plans to vilify anyone on this issue (subject to change later) but will intentionally attack the system that allows for this sort of corporate monopoly on the nations heritage. Two themes perhaps for discussion as openers- the Stonehenge landscape is due for (and has been) the subject of intense investigation prior to the prospective planning wrangles over the new road. I have no doubt that investigations there would have uncovered huge amounts of new archaeology. I`m sorry, but I don`t feel that such an important landscape such as Thornborough, should be investigated under commercial conditions. Extremely complex and descrete features can lurk undetected amongst gravels-many a site.....I also don`t think that an evaluation/assessment is enough. I see it every day, enormously underestimated archaeology compromised. The Thornborough landscape should not be touched by Tarmac or, any other company that seeks to profit by destroying property of national importance whilst dictating the terms of said removal as if they owned it. Nothing personal now! I`m glad you have found an employer with high ethics- can be a rare thing these days.Must be a hard place to be though, trying to do your job in the middle of a sh*tstorm. The fact that a field team are still there however, suggests that it seems inevitable that Tarmac are getting their way. Archaeologists of all shades involved in the project, with the exception of Mercenary, are distinctly quiet. Lets discuss- openly and without venom!!!!

[BAJR Host]

Thanks all... please lets discuss... I do prefer two sides and also views from those actually on teh ground/in the field

BAJR

Another day another WSI?

[deepdigger]

Without venom Troll! Ha, I think we could do better than that mate!!

deep