Pagan Ordered to End Stonehenge Protest

[Loyalist]

A Pagan campaigning for better access to Stonehenge has been ordered to end a 10-month sit-in protest near the site.

Wiltshire Council has gained a legal order evicting King Arthur Pendragon, formerly known as John Rothwell, from a camp set up in June last year.

Mr Pendragon, 55, who has until Sunday to leave or face forcible eviction, said: "I'm planning to stay put, it's my lawful right to protest."
The local authority was granted the order at Salisbury County Court.

Mr Pendragon, Battle Chieftain of the Council of British Druid Orders, denied he was living in the caravans next to the A344 and said he was simply using the site as his protest base.

He wants English Heritage to allow better access to the World Heritage Site, a stretch of the A344 closed and ancient remains, removed for study last summer, replaced. (Continues)

Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/8022291.stm)

[SwordoftheVistula]

He does have a point about about access to the site. There's no reason to keep it fenced off like it is, the stones aren't exactly eggshell fragile. If they want to prevent graffiti, just get staffers like other English Heritage sites have. If it's weirdos and cultists they are concerned about, then just allow access during the day and lock the place up at night and kick out anyone who shows up in a costume and annoys the regular visitors. There's absolutely no good reason to fence the entire place off during the day and force everyone to view from a distance.

[Vulpix]

He does have a point about about access to the site. There's no reason to keep it fenced off like it is, the stones aren't exactly eggshell fragile. If they want to prevent graffiti, just get staffers like other English Heritage sites have. If it's weirdos and cultists they are concerned about, then just allow access during the day and lock the place up at night and kick out anyone who shows up in a costume and annoys the regular visitors. There's absolutely no good reason to fence the entire place off during the day and force everyone to view from a distance.

Well, there is a reason, the ££s they charge you for entry to the site :p.

[Rainraven]

Good on him for staying put :thumb001:

[SwordoftheVistula]

Well, there is a reason, the ££s they charge you for entry to the site :p.

They do? They must have changed that, I went there in October 2004 and you couldn't get in at all, had a big chain link fence around it.

[Vulpix]

They do? They must have changed that, I went there in October 2004 and you couldn't get in at all, had a big chain link fence around it.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.16472

[SwordoftheVistula]

I don't see the fence in the pics they have up, but looks like you still don't have full access normally:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.878

Stone Circle Access visits take place outside of normal opening times at Stonehenge and must be pre-booked and pre-paid. Each visit time is for one hour and is for a maximum of 26 people. Please note, Stone Circle Access is not available on Tuesday mornings or Wednesday mornings. These mornings are set aside for grounds maintenance.

A Stone Circle Access visit is not a guided tour. The visits offer the opportunity to access the stone circle which is not possible during normal opening times when visitors stay on a path that goes round the outside of the stone circle.