Heritage

Rather more than a year ago I noticed at reference 1 the interesting fact that the members of the National Trust were getting in a lather about government proposals to spend £1.5bn - £1,500,000,000 that is - on doing something about Stonehenge. The new visitor centre to which we have yet to visit, despite passing within sight of the stones at least four times a year, usually rather more.

I learn from yesterday's Guardian that these proposals have new reached the stage of public inquiry. and at a packed meeting in Salisbury there was talk of legalised vandalism by the government. An inquiry which will serve the important purposes of getting some money back into Salisbury after the door knob imbroglio and putting some money into the pockets of some hard pressed lawyers and their hangers on.

While I remain sceptical about the value for money of the whole project - never mind the inquiry - so if the heritage people are still whining, why not just can the whole thing and build six thousand much needed affordable homes? £250,000 a pop should be enough. Maybe put them on council estates, so that the local councils could look after them on behalf of their residents. Which should make a useful dent in Wiltshire's housing problem.

PS: with thanks to the EAORC bulletin for references 3 and 4.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/11/stonehenge.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/search?q=stonehenge. For the bigger picture.

Reference 3: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/stonehenge-monuments-were-home-giant-pig-feasts-now-we-know-who-was-guest-list. Hot off the Stonehenge presses. And lots of back numbers if you ask the search button top right for Stonehenge.

Reference 4: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/3/eaau6078. The work which underpins the short report at reference 3: 'Multi-isotope analysis reveals that feasts in the Stonehenge environs and across Wessex drew people and animals from throughout Britain - R. Madgwick, A. L. Lamb, H. Sloane, A. J. Nederbragt, U. Albarella, M. Parker Pearson and J. A. Evans - 2019'.