NEWS ARTICLES
King Arthur’s quest to re-bury bones excavated from Stonehenge
SOURCE: Sailsbury Journal
Legend dictates that at Britain’s greatest hour of need, King Arthur and his knights will rise again to defend the realm from its enemies. But now he intends to call on global support to aid one of his most epic quests – the struggle to force archaeologists to re-bury ancient bones excavated from Stonehenge.
King Arthur Uther Pendragon, who realised he was the reincarnation of the legendary monarch in the 1980s, is planning an “international day of action” in partnership with indigenous peoples and religious groups across the globe.
He has already appeared at the High Court twice as part of his campaign to have the cremated remains of some 60 individuals returned to their resting place in Wiltshire. Standing against him are the archaeologists, headed by Professor Mike Parker Pearson of University College London, who excavated the bones in 2008, and holds the licence to store them for study.
The licence expires on November 1 this year, but an application has been made to the Ministry of Justice for this to be extended. If the request is granted, Arthur will call on his allies across the globe to picket museums holding human remains. He will also take the government to court for the third time.
The ex-biker-turned-battle chieftain of the Council of British Druid Orders can already rely on support from Native Americans, who in a 2012 Gathering of the Medicine Men in Colorado agreed to send “positive energies” over to England to support his cause. He is also in discussion with indigenous peoples in Canada and Australia and will appeal to groups including witches and Jedis.
Mr Pendragon, who stood as an independent parliamentary candidate for Salisbury in 2015, said:
“As Druids we believe in honouring the ancestors. The very giants on whose shoulders we sit. “Like the archaeologists we believe those buried around Stonehenge were instrumental in the building of the monument and the culture of those who went before us, but unlike them we believe as such we owe them the common decency and dignity to respect the wishes of those who laid them to rest. “It was the proto-Druids, the very people whose work and knowledge inspire modern science and education, who were buried in the environs of Stonehenge.”
Professor Parker Pearson did not respond to requests to comment. Simon Mays, human skeletal biologist for Historic England, said: “Human remains from archaeological sites are an important source of information about our shared past. “Historic England believes that they should always be treated with respect, and that decisions concerning excavation, study, and retention of remains for display and research should be based on the balance of benefit and harm, giving due weight to the views and interests of all those involved.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Decisions on whether human remains exhumed for archaeological purposes are reburied are made on a case by case basis, depending on the original licence granted. “In the case of the Stonehenge remains, the licence conditions require them to be re-buried by November 1, 2015. Any application to retain them for longer will be considered on its individual merits.”
Legend dictates that at Britain’s greatest hour of need, King Arthur and his knights will rise again to defend the realm from its enemies. But now he intends to call on global support to aid one of his most epic quests – the struggle to force archaeologists to re-bury ancient bones excavated from Stonehenge.
King Arthur Uther Pendragon, who realised he was the reincarnation of the legendary monarch in the 1980s, is planning an “international day of action” in partnership with indigenous peoples and religious groups across the globe.
He has already appeared at the High Court twice as part of his campaign to have the cremated remains of some 60 individuals returned to their resting place in Wiltshire. Standing against him are the archaeologists, headed by Professor Mike Parker Pearson of University College London, who excavated the bones in 2008, and holds the licence to store them for study.
The licence expires on November 1 this year, but an application has been made to the Ministry of Justice for this to be extended. If the request is granted, Arthur will call on his allies across the globe to picket museums holding human remains. He will also take the government to court for the third time.
The ex-biker-turned-battle chieftain of the Council of British Druid Orders can already rely on support from Native Americans, who in a 2012 Gathering of the Medicine Men in Colorado agreed to send “positive energies” over to England to support his cause. He is also in discussion with indigenous peoples in Canada and Australia and will appeal to groups including witches and Jedis.
Mr Pendragon, who stood as an independent parliamentary candidate for Salisbury in 2015, said:
“As Druids we believe in honouring the ancestors. The very giants on whose shoulders we sit. “Like the archaeologists we believe those buried around Stonehenge were instrumental in the building of the monument and the culture of those who went before us, but unlike them we believe as such we owe them the common decency and dignity to respect the wishes of those who laid them to rest. “It was the proto-Druids, the very people whose work and knowledge inspire modern science and education, who were buried in the environs of Stonehenge.”
Professor Parker Pearson did not respond to requests to comment. Simon Mays, human skeletal biologist for Historic England, said: “Human remains from archaeological sites are an important source of information about our shared past. “Historic England believes that they should always be treated with respect, and that decisions concerning excavation, study, and retention of remains for display and research should be based on the balance of benefit and harm, giving due weight to the views and interests of all those involved.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Decisions on whether human remains exhumed for archaeological purposes are reburied are made on a case by case basis, depending on the original licence granted. “In the case of the Stonehenge remains, the licence conditions require them to be re-buried by November 1, 2015. Any application to retain them for longer will be considered on its individual merits.”
A NEW DAWN FOR STONEHENGE
Written for The Western Daily Press by Arthur Pendragon
As English Heretics prepare to break up into two parts later this year with the backing of the Dept’ of Culture Media and Sport, retaining their responsibility as the Government advisory body on the one hand, whilst ‘cutting loose’ the properties in care to become ‘self funding’ charities. Having the ability to ever increasingly rely on an army of volunteers and look for private sponsorship that as a government QuANGO they are not at present allowed to do. The writing is most certainly ‘on the wall ‘at Stonehenge and their ‘flag ship’ new £27 million investment, of a new visitor’s centre’.
English Heritage! Am I not an Englishman? Is it not then my Heritage? The Land encircling owned by National Trust, and can this Nation not then Trust me?
Apparently not, unless likened to the vast army of foreign tourists attracted to this World Heritage site on a daily basis, I am prepared to pay, ‘comparable prices’ as they will tell you, to other similar attractions, and they will site The London Eye, or other Privately run and funded commercial enterprises; and to book well in advance for the privilege.
Under the new regime you can no longer ‘pull up at Stonehenge’ and view, for free as was the case in the early sixties, or should you wish to avail yourself of their visitors centre, on a whim as you drive by on your way to London or Cornwall. No you must book timed visits on line so that their land trains can cope with the number of visitors. As they ferry coach after coach of foreign tourist to and from their spanking new visitors centre to view the Temple or Monument.
And if like me, you wish to attend the Celebrations to denote the Longest, the Shortest or the Equal days, you must be in and out before their first ‘paying Guests’ arrive; and if like me, you are opposed to the display of our collective ancestors human remains; well tough, because the all new English Heritage, has ‘done deals’ with museums and they are going to display them anyway despite what the People and their (Druid) Priest’s think.
A recent poll in the Western Daily Press showed that 93% of the readers who took part supported my call for replica’s to be put on display while only 7% supported English Heritages decision to place the dead themselves on display.
English Heritage (as the newly formed Charity will still be known) will be measured on a success criteria that is based on how much money they save the tax payer in grants, and thereby how much money they make themselves; corporate Stonehenge. How long before McDonalds Stonehenge or World of War-craft Battle Abbey? Once they are ‘Cut loose’ from HMG they will be free to look for outside sponsorship.
That is what Stonehenge has become, a commercial enterprise to be marketed and to ‘earn its living’ Rather like the rest of this present Government policy it does not matter how old or infirm you must get ‘back to work’ and earn your living.
Well Stonehenge is so much more than a commodity to be marketed. It is Whether you view it as Temple or Monument, part of ‘our’ heritage and we should not be denied access to our own heritage for financial considerations alone.
Whilst it may be possible for the foreign tourists to pay £15 each a visit, how many people on benefit (or even low wages) can afford such money? According to Ian Duncan Smith, that’s more than we have or need to live on for two days.
Do not think this trend is about to stop at Stonehenge ? We are being priced out of our heritage in favour of making it a ‘rich Man’s playground’. Oh yes, you can (if you have the money) still book Stonehenge for ‘private access’ and film shoots.
It suits English Heritage to Market Stonehenge World Wide as an ancient burial ground and it suits them to market it as a place of Worship for modern Druids and Pagans but it does not suit them to listen to our advise about not displaying the Dead in ‘trophy’ cabinets, or not allowing the Solstices and Equinox’s to become no more than a case of, ‘in and out as expediently as possible’ to accommodate their paying guests.
I hear that their new visitors centre is attracting a lot of criticism and controversy from many differing quarters. Maybe they should not have upset the Druids? Our ‘Magic’ has endured, their corporate ‘vision’ shall not.
No, I say, rebury the Dead and make Stonehenge accessible to all, irrespective of financial concerns I say, and if that means giving the English concessions over the foreign tourists, than so be it, rather likened to the Greek model where the people are issued with a National Culture Card.
Blessings from the ‘all new, corporate’ Stonehenge
© King Arthur Pendragon 2014
As English Heretics prepare to break up into two parts later this year with the backing of the Dept’ of Culture Media and Sport, retaining their responsibility as the Government advisory body on the one hand, whilst ‘cutting loose’ the properties in care to become ‘self funding’ charities. Having the ability to ever increasingly rely on an army of volunteers and look for private sponsorship that as a government QuANGO they are not at present allowed to do. The writing is most certainly ‘on the wall ‘at Stonehenge and their ‘flag ship’ new £27 million investment, of a new visitor’s centre’.
English Heritage! Am I not an Englishman? Is it not then my Heritage? The Land encircling owned by National Trust, and can this Nation not then Trust me?
Apparently not, unless likened to the vast army of foreign tourists attracted to this World Heritage site on a daily basis, I am prepared to pay, ‘comparable prices’ as they will tell you, to other similar attractions, and they will site The London Eye, or other Privately run and funded commercial enterprises; and to book well in advance for the privilege.
Under the new regime you can no longer ‘pull up at Stonehenge’ and view, for free as was the case in the early sixties, or should you wish to avail yourself of their visitors centre, on a whim as you drive by on your way to London or Cornwall. No you must book timed visits on line so that their land trains can cope with the number of visitors. As they ferry coach after coach of foreign tourist to and from their spanking new visitors centre to view the Temple or Monument.
And if like me, you wish to attend the Celebrations to denote the Longest, the Shortest or the Equal days, you must be in and out before their first ‘paying Guests’ arrive; and if like me, you are opposed to the display of our collective ancestors human remains; well tough, because the all new English Heritage, has ‘done deals’ with museums and they are going to display them anyway despite what the People and their (Druid) Priest’s think.
A recent poll in the Western Daily Press showed that 93% of the readers who took part supported my call for replica’s to be put on display while only 7% supported English Heritages decision to place the dead themselves on display.
English Heritage (as the newly formed Charity will still be known) will be measured on a success criteria that is based on how much money they save the tax payer in grants, and thereby how much money they make themselves; corporate Stonehenge. How long before McDonalds Stonehenge or World of War-craft Battle Abbey? Once they are ‘Cut loose’ from HMG they will be free to look for outside sponsorship.
That is what Stonehenge has become, a commercial enterprise to be marketed and to ‘earn its living’ Rather like the rest of this present Government policy it does not matter how old or infirm you must get ‘back to work’ and earn your living.
Well Stonehenge is so much more than a commodity to be marketed. It is Whether you view it as Temple or Monument, part of ‘our’ heritage and we should not be denied access to our own heritage for financial considerations alone.
Whilst it may be possible for the foreign tourists to pay £15 each a visit, how many people on benefit (or even low wages) can afford such money? According to Ian Duncan Smith, that’s more than we have or need to live on for two days.
Do not think this trend is about to stop at Stonehenge ? We are being priced out of our heritage in favour of making it a ‘rich Man’s playground’. Oh yes, you can (if you have the money) still book Stonehenge for ‘private access’ and film shoots.
It suits English Heritage to Market Stonehenge World Wide as an ancient burial ground and it suits them to market it as a place of Worship for modern Druids and Pagans but it does not suit them to listen to our advise about not displaying the Dead in ‘trophy’ cabinets, or not allowing the Solstices and Equinox’s to become no more than a case of, ‘in and out as expediently as possible’ to accommodate their paying guests.
I hear that their new visitors centre is attracting a lot of criticism and controversy from many differing quarters. Maybe they should not have upset the Druids? Our ‘Magic’ has endured, their corporate ‘vision’ shall not.
No, I say, rebury the Dead and make Stonehenge accessible to all, irrespective of financial concerns I say, and if that means giving the English concessions over the foreign tourists, than so be it, rather likened to the Greek model where the people are issued with a National Culture Card.
Blessings from the ‘all new, corporate’ Stonehenge
© King Arthur Pendragon 2014
SOURCE: Sunday Times
"Arthur Uther Pendragon: Just what English Heritage didn’t want – a druid with an axe to grind!
A pagan leader says excavation of Stonehenge’s graves has upset his flock, not to mention Christians and Satanists.
Ancestors betrayed
It’s the winter solstice on Saturday, but this year things are going to be more charged than usual. As the head of the Loyal Arthurian Warband, a druid warrior order, I have celebrated solstices and equinoxes at the ancient burial site of Stonehenge for decades. But now English Heritage, which owns the site, has excavated the remains of those buried there — the bodies of ancestors lain to rest at this sacred temple.
Instead of being reinterred after they have been studied, these remains will be put on display in the new visitor centre, which opens on Wednesday. English Heritage has done this without consulting the druids and we feel betrayed. When the centre opens, we’re planning a peaceful protest and expecting about 200 people. I’ll be there in my ceremonial robes, and there will be dancers and drummers. We want to show our anger: we feel utterly let down."
Full article to subscribers only.. sorry =o((
"Arthur Uther Pendragon: Just what English Heritage didn’t want – a druid with an axe to grind!
A pagan leader says excavation of Stonehenge’s graves has upset his flock, not to mention Christians and Satanists.
Ancestors betrayed
It’s the winter solstice on Saturday, but this year things are going to be more charged than usual. As the head of the Loyal Arthurian Warband, a druid warrior order, I have celebrated solstices and equinoxes at the ancient burial site of Stonehenge for decades. But now English Heritage, which owns the site, has excavated the remains of those buried there — the bodies of ancestors lain to rest at this sacred temple.
Instead of being reinterred after they have been studied, these remains will be put on display in the new visitor centre, which opens on Wednesday. English Heritage has done this without consulting the druids and we feel betrayed. When the centre opens, we’re planning a peaceful protest and expecting about 200 people. I’ll be there in my ceremonial robes, and there will be dancers and drummers. We want to show our anger: we feel utterly let down."
Full article to subscribers only.. sorry =o((
SOURCE: The Independent on Sunday
"Stonehenge: Two tribes go to war – over bones
Two modern-day tribes with competing claims to Stonehenge are set to join battle this week over the remains of the dead. On one side stand the archaeologists, who insist that bones of ancient Britons buried near the monument should be put on display at the new £27m visitor centre, which opens on Wednesday.
Ranged against them is a warband of druids – led by Arthur Pendragon – who are campaigning for the bones to be reburied.
It is a conflict that raises considerable passion, along with questions about human dignity and how best to explain the past to the public. But both sides plan to wage war on the politest of terms: English Heritage has allowed the Loyal Arthurian Warband to hold a protest on Wednesday on its land at the site, while the druid group says “non-violent, direct action” will be used only as a last resort.
Some might dismiss the druids as cranks, but an online poll in the Western Daily Press found that 93 per cent of people backed their campaign. And some museums around the world have given in to pressure either to cover up human remains or to stop displaying them.
Archaeologist Julian Richards, who wrote a new guidebook for the centre, said that “coming face to face, or face to skull” with an ancient Briton was important as it helped visitors “make that connection” with the people who built Stonehenge, which dates back more than 5,000 years. “To me, to exclude [human remains] is sort of bottling out,” he said. “You’re finding this in one or two museums who are adopting an overly conciliatory approach. Egyptian mummies are now having a white sheet draped over them so you cannot actually see them. Given that the past is about understanding people, then those physical remains of those people, especially if they can be used to illustrate something about the life of someone, are a very powerful thing.”
Mr Richards, who presented the BBC series Meet the Ancestors, said some groups felt they “have a right to speak on behalf of these people”. “I don’t think anybody today has got that right because they haven’t got that direct cultural lineage,” he said.
Arthur Pendragon, a former soldier who changed his name by deed poll and who claims to be a reincarnation of King Arthur, said he planned to lead up to 200 druids – “robed up” with drummers – at the protest. “We believe the ancient dead should have as much respect as the recent dead,” he said. “The way I see it, it’s not just a druid or pagan issue. It’s just one of common decency and respect – let those at rest stay at rest.”
English Heritage said it respected “Mr Arthur Pendragon’s views and his right to peaceful demonstration”. “English Heritage believes that authenticity is important to tell England’s story. We use real objects and artefacts because we believe they are the best way for people to come close to history,” it said, adding “the vast majority” of museum visitors were “comfortable” with the idea.
But only on Wednesday will it become clear what Stonehenge’s third and largest tribe – the tourists – make of the archaeologists’ commitment to authenticity and the sound and peaceful fury of the druids."
"Stonehenge: Two tribes go to war – over bones
Two modern-day tribes with competing claims to Stonehenge are set to join battle this week over the remains of the dead. On one side stand the archaeologists, who insist that bones of ancient Britons buried near the monument should be put on display at the new £27m visitor centre, which opens on Wednesday.
Ranged against them is a warband of druids – led by Arthur Pendragon – who are campaigning for the bones to be reburied.
It is a conflict that raises considerable passion, along with questions about human dignity and how best to explain the past to the public. But both sides plan to wage war on the politest of terms: English Heritage has allowed the Loyal Arthurian Warband to hold a protest on Wednesday on its land at the site, while the druid group says “non-violent, direct action” will be used only as a last resort.
Some might dismiss the druids as cranks, but an online poll in the Western Daily Press found that 93 per cent of people backed their campaign. And some museums around the world have given in to pressure either to cover up human remains or to stop displaying them.
Archaeologist Julian Richards, who wrote a new guidebook for the centre, said that “coming face to face, or face to skull” with an ancient Briton was important as it helped visitors “make that connection” with the people who built Stonehenge, which dates back more than 5,000 years. “To me, to exclude [human remains] is sort of bottling out,” he said. “You’re finding this in one or two museums who are adopting an overly conciliatory approach. Egyptian mummies are now having a white sheet draped over them so you cannot actually see them. Given that the past is about understanding people, then those physical remains of those people, especially if they can be used to illustrate something about the life of someone, are a very powerful thing.”
Mr Richards, who presented the BBC series Meet the Ancestors, said some groups felt they “have a right to speak on behalf of these people”. “I don’t think anybody today has got that right because they haven’t got that direct cultural lineage,” he said.
Arthur Pendragon, a former soldier who changed his name by deed poll and who claims to be a reincarnation of King Arthur, said he planned to lead up to 200 druids – “robed up” with drummers – at the protest. “We believe the ancient dead should have as much respect as the recent dead,” he said. “The way I see it, it’s not just a druid or pagan issue. It’s just one of common decency and respect – let those at rest stay at rest.”
English Heritage said it respected “Mr Arthur Pendragon’s views and his right to peaceful demonstration”. “English Heritage believes that authenticity is important to tell England’s story. We use real objects and artefacts because we believe they are the best way for people to come close to history,” it said, adding “the vast majority” of museum visitors were “comfortable” with the idea.
But only on Wednesday will it become clear what Stonehenge’s third and largest tribe – the tourists – make of the archaeologists’ commitment to authenticity and the sound and peaceful fury of the druids."