They are a disparate bunch. Archaeologists, environmentalists, historians, transport experts, countryside campaigners and druids.
But they will come together in the Strand in central London on Tuesday with a common purpose: to stop the bulldozers from, in their mind, wreaking havoc at one of the UK’s most iconic sites.
They will try to convince the high court over three days that the government’s plan to build a two-mile road tunnel close to the great circle of Stonehenge will permanently disfigure a unique and globally important landscape.
“It’s David and Goliath stuff,” said John Adams, the chair of the Stonehenge Alliance, which has fought against the tunnel and other road projects around the stones for more than 20 years. Though lots of disciplines are represented, they lack the heft of the government machine. “We’re up against the might of the Department for Transport, National Highways and so on. We’re a small organisation – mostly retired people. But the court case is critical. It’s the only thing keeping the earth diggers away,” he said.
I’ve heard some people claim the project would enhance the site by “hiding” the road. Completely ignoring the enormous amount of damage that would be done to area’s archeological significance.
What damage are you expecting?
There could be countless archeological objects in the surrounding area. So digging for no good reason is a bad idea.
Though I don’t know if any specific stability risk, the vibrations and disturbance from construction is a non zero (but probably low) risk to the stability of the site.
Also roads create pollution, which in general should try to be kept as far as possible from natural or ancient archeological sites.
I think a lot of money has been spent looking at the area to confirm there isn’t anything in its way - one of the other comments has a link about how everything was paused for 4 months when they did find something nearby.
If they can dig a tube tunnel through some of the places in london that they did for crossrail, this isn’t going to be a problem.
There is already an A-road there, one that is normally practically stationary due to how the road narrows there. by sticking it in a tunnel it saves the immediate area from the pollution. Hopefully as we electrify more vehicles that will get even better too.
For reference - this is how close the road currently is - getting it underground will make the immediate area much nicer.
And you expect them to carry on digging if they find invaluable archeological artefacts?
No but they would have damaged the site
With great respect that’s not how works happen in archaeologically sensitive areas. There’ll be a full search done ahead of earth works.
If they dig under then it’s not a problem
Much of the value of the site lies underground. It’s a rich area for archaeology where significant and surprising discoveries are still being made. This is part of what makes it a World Heritage Site.
It’s on a big hill, the archeology isn’t going to be more than 10m deep right? The only issue will therefore be at the entrance and exit?
I assume that they put the portals in ‘empty’ places and will have archeologists at the site to confirm they are not digging things up. (And have/are studying the area more)