Campaigners raise concerns over second Stonehenge site
It surrounds the ancient site of Blick Mead
Last updated 17th Jul 2024
Campaigners who are calling for the new Government to scrap the Stonehenge Tunnel project have raised concerns over a neighbouring ancient site.
There are worries that the construction of the tunnel would cause irreparable damage to Blick Mead, a site that dates back even further than the famous stones.
The chalkland spring, which is near to Amesbury's Countess Roundabout, is a hunter gatherer site from about 10,000 years ago.
We spoke to Paul Gossage, who was in London on Monday as the Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site group took their latest appeal against the decision allowing work to begin to the Royal Courts of Justice.
He said the concrete used for the tunnel would destroy Blick Mead.
"A good analogy is imagine a big sorcerer of water and you stick a nice dry brick inside it.
"It will wick away all of that water very quickly and dry it out. That is exactly what will happen at Blick Mead," Paul said.
Paul adds it would destroy the carbon dating of Blick Mead.
"It has got continuous carbon dating for four and a half thousand years, right up to the start of of the beginning of Stone Age. It's so significant and so rare as well."
And while he sympathises that people don't want to be held up in traffic, Paul claims this is 'solid, provable scientific fact' for the tunnel not to be built.
"Just Google Blick Mead and find out about it for yourself, because it will be seriously damaged.
"All the carbon dating will be lost completely forever, and that's the key to understanding the site of Stonehenge.
National Highways insists the scheme would deliver "long-term benefits" for the South West economy, the World Heritage Site, local communities and the environment.