27 JULY 1985, Page 22

LETTERS Saving the stones

Sir: It is kind of Lord Montagu to try to assuage my unease about recent events at Stonehenge (Letters, 13 July). He suggests that my reading of newspapers has been 'selective' and no doubt it was. But I cannot resist selecting a quotation from the Times of 27 June: 'However uncivilised the festival has sometimes been as a camp on the field next door, it has never done any harm to the stones themselves.' This is from an article by Christopher Chippin- dale, Fellow-elect in archaeology at Girton College, Cambridge, who continues: 'Pub- lic enjoyment of the Stonehenge midsum- mer has a long history. . . the locals were enjoying an all-night party there almost a century ago.' He acknowledges the many present difficulties and, without apportion- ing blame, says: 'The public presentation of Stonehenge, as English Heritage has inherited it, is a disaster.' He concludes: 'Let it [English Heritage] show its worth by breaking out of a sterile battle and enable us to celebrate in a manner the place deserves.' At the end of his letter Lord Montagu suggests that this is indeed the intention of English Heritage, and for this we must all be grateful.

P. J. Kavanagh

Sparrowthom, Elkstone, Nr Cheltenham, Glos.