07 Sep 2018
Local residents are being given the opportunity to get involved in a project to help preserve Worlebury Hillfort in Weston-super-Mare.
Volunteer members of the Worlebury Hillfort Group have been working hard over the last two years clearing vegetation from the site, resulting in opening up new areas of the hillfort for visitors to see.
These volunteers have recently taken on a new project to dismantle the large cairn and playforts that have been illegally constructed out of material from the hillfort and more help is needed with this work.
As the Iron Age hillfort is a scheduled monument, the work can only be undertaken with special permission from Historic England and the Secretary of State.
It’s a criminal offence under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 to carry out unauthorised works, or to allow unauthorised works to be carried out, on a scheduled monument.
The recent archaeological condition survey of the hillfort highlights several instances of unlawful damage to the monument, including the removal of stones to create a modern cairn.
North Somerset Council manages the hillfort and has gained Scheduled Monument Consent to dismantle these unlawful features. It is now asking local residents for help in carrying out this work.
“By creating cairns, shelters and playforts, people are causing irreparable damage to the hillfort, making it very difficult for archaeologists to examine and investigate this incredibly important monument,” said Cllr Peter Bryant, the council’s executive member responsible for parks and green spaces.
“Having successfully gained Scheduled Monument Consent to dismantle these unlawful features, this will hopefully go some way to preventing further damage to the hillfort through the removal and moving of stones from the defensive ramparts.
“We are looking for more willing volunteers to help undertake some of this work. This is an opportunity to become involved with an exciting project, right in the historical heart of Weston-super-Mare.”
If you would like to volunteer contact the council’s archaeologist Cat Lodge at [email protected] or on 01934 888 811.
Source:
http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news/volunteers-needed-for-hillfort-project/
Something is not right. This message is just to keep things from messing up down the road