CALLING ALL PAGANS TO OPPOSE ENGLISH HERETICS
The Pagan and Druid ‘Faith’ does NOT demand abstinence from Alcohol, (Unlike some of the other modern religions). Indeed we often use it as an integral part of our ceremonies, at Stonehenge and wider afield.
I would remind those of our belief structure who have ’bought in’ to English Heretics rhetoric that it is the behaviour of a minority that is causing any such Drink related problems and in all probability it can and will not be cured by simply prohibiting it in the Temple field and allowing it in the car-park.
And to those who mistakenly say alcohol has no place in ‘our’ Ritual, or Celebrations, and would call for it to be removed from our sacred sites. I would suggest that you join the temperance movement and campaign elsewhere perhaps for the closure of the ‘Red Lion’ at Avebury and at the Stonehenge visitors centre where they sell, Shock Horror, Stonehenge mead and wine and perhaps a campaign to change all the pub names linked to ‘our’ faith.
I would remind also those of ‘our’ faith who would advocate an alcohol ban at Stonehenge that alcohol is in fact legal unlike the myriad of other recreational substances,
STOP TRYING TO SPOIL THE FUN FOR OTHERS. DON’T BE ’KILLJOYS’ COME TO STONEHENGE REFUSE TO ‘PAY TO PRAY’ AND CELEBRATE WITH A WILD PAGAN HEART.....
© King Arthur Pendragon /|\
Source: FB
I would remind those of our belief structure who have ’bought in’ to English Heretics rhetoric that it is the behaviour of a minority that is causing any such Drink related problems and in all probability it can and will not be cured by simply prohibiting it in the Temple field and allowing it in the car-park.
And to those who mistakenly say alcohol has no place in ‘our’ Ritual, or Celebrations, and would call for it to be removed from our sacred sites. I would suggest that you join the temperance movement and campaign elsewhere perhaps for the closure of the ‘Red Lion’ at Avebury and at the Stonehenge visitors centre where they sell, Shock Horror, Stonehenge mead and wine and perhaps a campaign to change all the pub names linked to ‘our’ faith.
I would remind also those of ‘our’ faith who would advocate an alcohol ban at Stonehenge that alcohol is in fact legal unlike the myriad of other recreational substances,
STOP TRYING TO SPOIL THE FUN FOR OTHERS. DON’T BE ’KILLJOYS’ COME TO STONEHENGE REFUSE TO ‘PAY TO PRAY’ AND CELEBRATE WITH A WILD PAGAN HEART.....
© King Arthur Pendragon /|\
Source: FB
King Arthur Pendragon leads protest against proposed changes from English Heritage to the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge
urce: Salisbury Journal
DRUIDS and pagans blockaded Stonehenge over the weekend as part of a protest against English Heritage's proposed changes to the summer solstice celebrations.
The protestors stopped English Heritage coaches from visiting the stones, with visitors having to walk the mile-and-a-half journey from the visitors' centre to the stones themselves. The action comes after English Heritage announced plans to ban all alcohol from the summer solstice celebrations, as well as introducing a £15 parking charge in a bid to reduce the number of cars attending the event.
Led by King Arthur Pendragon, the protestors handed out leaflets explaining their reasons for protesting to those making the walk to access the stones. The druids were allowing buses through carrying disabled and elderly people, as well as families with children.
Kate Davies, Stonehenge’s General Manager, previously told the Journal that the proposed changes would allow staff to better look after those attending the solstice, as well as looking after Stonehenge itself, and that the plans had received a lot of public support. She said: “Over the last 15 years we have seen a huge increase in the number of people celebrating the summer solstice at Stonehenge. We have limited parking facilities and we believe the parking charge will encourage more people to car share or travel by bus.
“We’ve also seen more drunken and disrespectful behaviour. Something has to be done or we risk losing what makes solstice at Stonehenge so special.
English Heritage also said it was mindful of how alcohol was used by some druids during ceremonial practice and would be consulting with the community on how moderate use of ritual alcohol.
King Arthur Pendragon said: "It was quite a major disruption. We were only there for a few hours, we only needed to be. We were exercising our right to pass and re-pass on a public right of way, we were just slowly walking across the road and walking back. I had to stop their buses from going up and down.
"They are trying to get the monopoly on parking and charge us £15. If you go to Stonehenge today they'll charge you £5 today as a tourist, which you get back when you view the stones. But they want to charge pilgrims £15 to pray, because they don't want us there. They're only interested in the tourist dollar. That's why I did the protest. Whichever way they put it, they're asking people to pay to pray.
"The protest was received very well by the public. We had one guy there who was really against us and shouting, but eventually he ended up agreeing with us.
"As far as I'm concerned it was an unqualified success".
He told the Journal that he has contacted managers at Stonehenge asking them to reconsider the charges, and that if they are willing to "sit around the table and talk about it" he will drop his campaign, but that if the charges go ahead he will increase campaigning with regular pop-up protests at the stones.
King Arthur also said he was in touch with the police and ambulance services, suggesting that they charge Stonehenge for their services this year, as in previous years it was a free event.
Kate Davies said: “There was a small protest at Stonehenge this morning. A small number of our visitors were inconvenienced but they were very understanding of the situation. We’ve had a lot of support for the changes we’re introducing for the Summer Solstice celebrations, including from members within the pagan and druid community. These changes are necessary if we are to keep what makes celebrating the summer solstice at Stonehenge so special.”
DRUIDS and pagans blockaded Stonehenge over the weekend as part of a protest against English Heritage's proposed changes to the summer solstice celebrations.
The protestors stopped English Heritage coaches from visiting the stones, with visitors having to walk the mile-and-a-half journey from the visitors' centre to the stones themselves. The action comes after English Heritage announced plans to ban all alcohol from the summer solstice celebrations, as well as introducing a £15 parking charge in a bid to reduce the number of cars attending the event.
Led by King Arthur Pendragon, the protestors handed out leaflets explaining their reasons for protesting to those making the walk to access the stones. The druids were allowing buses through carrying disabled and elderly people, as well as families with children.
Kate Davies, Stonehenge’s General Manager, previously told the Journal that the proposed changes would allow staff to better look after those attending the solstice, as well as looking after Stonehenge itself, and that the plans had received a lot of public support. She said: “Over the last 15 years we have seen a huge increase in the number of people celebrating the summer solstice at Stonehenge. We have limited parking facilities and we believe the parking charge will encourage more people to car share or travel by bus.
“We’ve also seen more drunken and disrespectful behaviour. Something has to be done or we risk losing what makes solstice at Stonehenge so special.
English Heritage also said it was mindful of how alcohol was used by some druids during ceremonial practice and would be consulting with the community on how moderate use of ritual alcohol.
King Arthur Pendragon said: "It was quite a major disruption. We were only there for a few hours, we only needed to be. We were exercising our right to pass and re-pass on a public right of way, we were just slowly walking across the road and walking back. I had to stop their buses from going up and down.
"They are trying to get the monopoly on parking and charge us £15. If you go to Stonehenge today they'll charge you £5 today as a tourist, which you get back when you view the stones. But they want to charge pilgrims £15 to pray, because they don't want us there. They're only interested in the tourist dollar. That's why I did the protest. Whichever way they put it, they're asking people to pay to pray.
"The protest was received very well by the public. We had one guy there who was really against us and shouting, but eventually he ended up agreeing with us.
"As far as I'm concerned it was an unqualified success".
He told the Journal that he has contacted managers at Stonehenge asking them to reconsider the charges, and that if they are willing to "sit around the table and talk about it" he will drop his campaign, but that if the charges go ahead he will increase campaigning with regular pop-up protests at the stones.
King Arthur also said he was in touch with the police and ambulance services, suggesting that they charge Stonehenge for their services this year, as in previous years it was a free event.
Kate Davies said: “There was a small protest at Stonehenge this morning. A small number of our visitors were inconvenienced but they were very understanding of the situation. We’ve had a lot of support for the changes we’re introducing for the Summer Solstice celebrations, including from members within the pagan and druid community. These changes are necessary if we are to keep what makes celebrating the summer solstice at Stonehenge so special.”
Why Druid leader King Arthur is crossing swords with English Heritage over Stonehenge
Making history in his own small way?
Neo-druid King Arthur Uther Pendragon spent the Bank Holiday leading a protest near Stonehenge – and he won’t go down without a fight.
Who’s he crossing swords with?
English Heritage, the body which manages the site. King Arthur and his followers are up in arms over the organisation’s plans to ban alcohol and impose a £15 parking charge in fields near the prehistoric monument during next month’s summer solstice.
Why do these new rules so upset, um, His Highness?
The pagan priest said the decision means neo-druids such as himself will effectively be forced to “pay to pray” at their “temple”. On regular days parking is free but since 2000 the charge has been waived for visitors attending the summer solstice.
Has King Arthur always gone by that name?
A former soldier and biker born in Yorkshire, he was known as John Timothy Rothwell before experiencing a spiritual revelation at Stonehenge in 1976.
What did he do next?
The eco-warrior, now 62, became the founder and leader of the Loyal Arthurian Warband, thought to be one of the largest druid orders, which fights for “truth, honour and justice”.
How is he faring in his battle against English Heritage?
On Sunday morning King Arthur and his band of protesters blocked a public footpath that bisects the only road which coaches from English Heritage’s visitors’ centre can use to access the Unesco World Heritage site in Wiltshire. The group allowed disabled tourists, children and parents and elderly people through on coaches, but all other visitors were forced to make a three-mile round-trip on foot to see the stone circle.
Will it be a fight to the death?
It’s a peaceful protest – but could rumble on for weeks. “This is about this charge which is effectively making us ‘pay to pray’ at Stonehenge, our temple, for the solstice,” the Western Daily Press reported King Arthur as saying. The demonstration will continue until English Heritage scraps the parking charge for this year’s solstice, the activist added. “Most of us live in Salisbury or nearby, so we can come every day if we need to,” he warned.
Article by inews.co.uk
Neo-druid King Arthur Uther Pendragon spent the Bank Holiday leading a protest near Stonehenge – and he won’t go down without a fight.
Who’s he crossing swords with?
English Heritage, the body which manages the site. King Arthur and his followers are up in arms over the organisation’s plans to ban alcohol and impose a £15 parking charge in fields near the prehistoric monument during next month’s summer solstice.
Why do these new rules so upset, um, His Highness?
The pagan priest said the decision means neo-druids such as himself will effectively be forced to “pay to pray” at their “temple”. On regular days parking is free but since 2000 the charge has been waived for visitors attending the summer solstice.
Has King Arthur always gone by that name?
A former soldier and biker born in Yorkshire, he was known as John Timothy Rothwell before experiencing a spiritual revelation at Stonehenge in 1976.
What did he do next?
The eco-warrior, now 62, became the founder and leader of the Loyal Arthurian Warband, thought to be one of the largest druid orders, which fights for “truth, honour and justice”.
How is he faring in his battle against English Heritage?
On Sunday morning King Arthur and his band of protesters blocked a public footpath that bisects the only road which coaches from English Heritage’s visitors’ centre can use to access the Unesco World Heritage site in Wiltshire. The group allowed disabled tourists, children and parents and elderly people through on coaches, but all other visitors were forced to make a three-mile round-trip on foot to see the stone circle.
Will it be a fight to the death?
It’s a peaceful protest – but could rumble on for weeks. “This is about this charge which is effectively making us ‘pay to pray’ at Stonehenge, our temple, for the solstice,” the Western Daily Press reported King Arthur as saying. The demonstration will continue until English Heritage scraps the parking charge for this year’s solstice, the activist added. “Most of us live in Salisbury or nearby, so we can come every day if we need to,” he warned.
Article by inews.co.uk
CLARITY OF POSITION
Source: Facebook
This is a copy of an email I sent to Kate Davies at EH Stonehenge Today, I await a reply.
Arthur Pendragon
Telephone 07840277612
E-mail [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/arthur.rex.984
DruidKingArthur on Twitter
www.warband.org.uk
O=={{:::::::3rd May 2016::::::::>
Hail Kate,
The ‘Pop-up Protest’ we conducted on 1st May, to coincide with the serving of papers on Salisbury Museum for the Repatriation and re-interment at Stonehenge of the Ancient Cremated Human Remains (Known as the Guardians) taken away for analysis by the Riverside Project in 2008 was the first of many such planned protests and demonstrations to highlight our displeasure at your high handed approach and imposition (without due consultation) of major changes to the Solstice Celebrations, both Summer and Winter designed to give you the monopoly on parking in and around the environs of Stonehenge and the World Heritage site, in order to claw back money and charge those Pilgrims attending by Stealth.
As far as your proposed Levy of £15 per pilgrim’s car (Three times that which you charge the tourist) we find it totally avaricious and unacceptable and will be most definitely advising the pilgrims attending to refuse to pay any such charge.
Be that as it may, it is our (and my in particular) vowed intention to make doubly sure that our protest and campaign against these charges will cost you EH far more than any monies you make out of Pilgrims attending Solstice.
I would like your assurances that you will NOT try to instigate these changes, including the total prohibition of alcohol at this year’s Solstice and if I receive them I will immediately cease and desist and return to the negotiating table to discuss the possibility of any future implementation of your plans.
If, however you are NOT prepared to give any such assurances than I am fully prepared to step up my campaign and to demand of our political establishment that they look into counter charging EH for the Policing at Solstice and Equinox and /or any other costs incurred to the tax payer.
King Arthur Pendragon /|\
This is a copy of an email I sent to Kate Davies at EH Stonehenge Today, I await a reply.
Arthur Pendragon
Telephone 07840277612
E-mail [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/arthur.rex.984
DruidKingArthur on Twitter
www.warband.org.uk
O=={{:::::::3rd May 2016::::::::>
Hail Kate,
The ‘Pop-up Protest’ we conducted on 1st May, to coincide with the serving of papers on Salisbury Museum for the Repatriation and re-interment at Stonehenge of the Ancient Cremated Human Remains (Known as the Guardians) taken away for analysis by the Riverside Project in 2008 was the first of many such planned protests and demonstrations to highlight our displeasure at your high handed approach and imposition (without due consultation) of major changes to the Solstice Celebrations, both Summer and Winter designed to give you the monopoly on parking in and around the environs of Stonehenge and the World Heritage site, in order to claw back money and charge those Pilgrims attending by Stealth.
As far as your proposed Levy of £15 per pilgrim’s car (Three times that which you charge the tourist) we find it totally avaricious and unacceptable and will be most definitely advising the pilgrims attending to refuse to pay any such charge.
Be that as it may, it is our (and my in particular) vowed intention to make doubly sure that our protest and campaign against these charges will cost you EH far more than any monies you make out of Pilgrims attending Solstice.
I would like your assurances that you will NOT try to instigate these changes, including the total prohibition of alcohol at this year’s Solstice and if I receive them I will immediately cease and desist and return to the negotiating table to discuss the possibility of any future implementation of your plans.
If, however you are NOT prepared to give any such assurances than I am fully prepared to step up my campaign and to demand of our political establishment that they look into counter charging EH for the Policing at Solstice and Equinox and /or any other costs incurred to the tax payer.
King Arthur Pendragon /|\
