Article by English Heritage on the preservation work being undertaken at Silbury Hill



Read the whole article and the reports here:- http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/...00100200800i002

I love this place - its just such a beautiful monument... and the pictures give you no idea on how big it is generally - its an awe inspiring monument.

Here is a picture I took last year...

Intresting. in all of the excavations has anything ever been found, artifacts etc etc.

No...

They thought that it was a burial mound and would be full of treasure - thats why the conservation team is going into the mound again because the previous tunnels were not back-filled properly and are now collapsing...

There were tunnels dug in 1776, 1849 and 1968... this is the link to the report where the tunneling is shown (page 8)
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/...l_CFAreport.pdf

The new team found an antler pick, but so far that's all!

Its an enigmatic monument - its so massive and so near to Stonehenge and the Kennett Long Barrows - but what was it for - nobody knows

But i think i read awhile ago that that hill is very mystical and carries some energys. and wasent thier some dude claimed on the top the energy waves were diffrent than at the bottom. but as far as stonehenge is concerened were getting more into the idea that stonehenge is only a small part of a much larger complex and that mound is in it as well as numerous others woodhenge, robin hood all the barrows, etc etc.

Its very awe inspiring... so I guess you could say it has a mystical feel to it... however I feel that way about all ancient sites so it could just be me!

There is certainly something to be said for looking at the whole of the landscape in that area, there is certainly alot going on in the landscape (its very dangerous for me to drive in that area, simply because I keep seeing landscape features and I can't resist stopping to get a closer look!) - but you have to bear in mind that not all of them are contemporary with each other

Barrow building for example is a long tradition that continued right through to the Saxon Period (i.e. Sutton Hoo)

Silbury hill is amazing, I look my son there a couple of years ago, and to Stonehenge, Avebury and Kennet long barrows. We had an amazing day, I'd like to go again this year. From the top of Silbury Hill you could see a crop circle and there is an air about the place, you feel like you're treading in the footsteps of our ancestors.

I love this picture.

I, too am enthralled by Silbury, Avebury....the whole area. I haven't been for a while, but I have a vague plan to go there for a few days this summer.

Maybe camp at The Barge pub in Alton Barnes (or is it Alton Priors?...anyway...I'll find it, as I've camped there before!) It's a place where all sorts of people stay, including crop circle enthusiasts.

If they're doing 'things' at Silbury, though, it might make going up it a bit more difficult...maybe not, though...

You lucky thing.. climbing it is not allowed any more ...

Part of the reason they are repairing it is human damage... That's why most scheduled ancient monuments are fenced off - people can't resist taking a bit home with them (it was common practice to take a bit of stone from Stonehenge by chipping it off the blocks!) I understand why people do this, I have to say I have been tempted myself but these monuments belong to everyone... and when they are gone, they are lost forever...

Can you imagine if you climbed up it and the shaft fell in... I'm not sure I could live with myself

I love that landscape too... I remember when I first saw the Swindon Stone - it was sooo beautiful...

Did you know that you can book (and pay) to be taken into Stonehenge early in the mornings and go right into the stones (supervised of course)... I'm hoping to do that next time I go up

Wow, I didn't know that about going into the circle at stonehenge, that would be amazing. I wouldn't take pieces of it either, when I last visited they said a local blacksmith used to hire out chissels so people could chop bits off!

I didn't know you weren't allowed to climb Silbury Hill and I wasn't aware there were shafts in it that could crumble, I thought it was a solid structure. I didn't climb it, my husband and son did, the thought of it collapsing is awful and we certainly won't be doing that again

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.877

This page will give you details of how to arrange the access to the circle

English Heritage are currently working to repair Silbury Hill so hopefully it will stand the test of time further.... If it is contemporary with Stonehenge, the Kennett Barrows and Avebury it is about 5'000 years old... How amazing is that

Thanks for that Themis - I had no idea - but now on our next trip we'll definantly go into the circle if we can. Wow!! They are amazing and awe inspiring.