ANCIENT MONUMENTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1943, Page 4

ANCIENT MONUMENTS

DESTRUCTION IN BRITAIN. Recent correspondence concerning the quarrying of parts of the Roman Wall has shown that, however great the exigencies of war-time, there is at least one freedom that will not be lightly given up—the Freedom to Destroy our Ancient Monuments, a writer in the “Manchester Guardian” observes. This freedom was taken very seriously at one time, when ancient crosses and other priceless relics of the past were broken up or turned into such utilitarian objects as gate-posts and pig-troughs. At Avebury, for example, the great megalithic circle —the largest and most wonderful in Europe —was ruthlessly plundered to provide 'building stone for the village. Dr. Stukeley, the eighteenth-century antiquary, who was an unwilling witness of this demolition, was able to describe the removal and destination of almost every stone. In particular he named three farmers, Green, Griffin, and Robinson, as the chief sinners, and even the corporation of Devizes began trading in the broken stones. Fortunately, now that the National Tnlst has taken them under its care the remains at Avebury have become inviolable from future spolition. It is not too much to hope that energetic action will also be taken in time to prevent our most remarkable monument of Roman times from being converted into road-metal.