Fighting for the future of UK sacred sites: Stonehenge and Thornborough

Photo by Historic England of the Thornborough Henges

Attacks on pivotal sacred sites in the UK appear to be mounting as the threat of potentially irreparable damage to both Stonehenge and Thornborough Henge continues to grow.

This situation is taking place Sacred Earth Activism co-founder Jonathan Weekes believes, because: “The dominant culture only sees things in terms of how it can exploit and capitalise on them. Governmental and private institutions are seeing such opportunities with Stonehenge and Thornborough but without showing proper respect for these sacred lands or understanding how important they are to people.”

Co-founder Christa Mackinnon agrees, citing a quote from Oren R Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Native American Onondaga and Seneca people: “In the absence of the sacred, nothing is sacred. Everything is for sale.”

As such, she points out: “The exploitation and destruction of pre-Christian sacred lands and sites has been a major endeavour of colonialism and capitalism. Globally, for many centuries, the aim and outcome has been the exploitation of the riches of such lands.”

A further objective here, Christa adds, has been the eradication of “indigenous, earth-based spiritual traditions, which were seen as dangerous and in opposition to Christian beliefs. This interference and destruction is ongoing, and the reasons have not changed.”

The threat to Stonehenge

Photo of Stonehenge

As to how this situation is currently playing out in the UK, it now appears that the future of the iconic Stonehenge ritual landscape is in doubt. On 14 July, transport secretary Mark Harper gave the go-ahead for a scheme to widen roads and dig a two-mile tunnel near the Unesco world heritage site. The aim of the project, which was initially costed at £1.7 billion, is to speed up journey times on the A303, a major link road into southwest England.

The tunnel was originally approved in 2020 by then transport secretary Grant Shapps amid widespread controversy. The decision was made in defiance of planning inspector recommendations, which said the move would create “permanent, irreversible harm”. But it was overturned by the High Court a year later due to concerns over the scheme’s environmental impact on the iconic site.  

A powerful alliance of the Stonehenge Alliance, druids, environmental groups and archaeologists, which brought the last legal challenge, are now seeking legal opinion on whether to pursue another judicial review.

This is important, Jonathan says, because sites like Stonehenge, which have been held sacred for thousands of years, continue to retain an important place in the nation’s folklore and cultural identity.

But he adds: “In recent centuries as our connection to the land has weakened so too has our connection to the stories the land holds and our connection to these sites. So at this time, it’s vital we reaffirm this connection to these sacred lands, even as the Establishment looks to further separate us from them.”

Question marks over Thornborough’s future

Photo of Thornborough Henges from Bing Satellite

Elsewhere, in North Yorkshire, meanwhile, the integrity of the Thornborough Henge ceremonial complex, known as ‘the Stonehenge of the north’, is also in trouble. The three huge earth circles of which it consists are thought to be 4,500 years old. They are also believed to be the most important Neolithic site between Stonehenge and Orkney.

The southern and central henges are now owned by English Heritage after building materials supplier Tarmac donated them to the nation earlier this year. The northern henge remains in private hands, although it was recently put on the market for £200,000, which means its future is now in doubt.

Although English Heritage had hoped to buy it, being a charity, it is legally obliged to purchase land at the price it was commercially valued it – and the £200,000 figure is three times that.

Therefore, as SEA member and Thornborough Henge guardian, Christine Clarke, says: “It feels like there’s a battle between forces. If we are to survive, we need to work in harmony with our planet, and our sacred sites will help us do that, but it feels as if there’s a powerful, destructive force trying to stop it from happening.”

Ali Mills, a member of SEA’s steering group, agrees. “These sites are a spiritual technology that we’ve yet to fully understand and utilise,” she says. “They belong to all of life, not just life on this island, because all sites, like all of life, are interconnected.”

As a result, Jonathan believes it is important that supporters gather at both sites “for ceremony and celebration” and to prevent them from being “removed from our culture and connection with the land”.

“We must affirm that these sacred lands belong to the people, not private interests, and they should be protected, not privatised, capitalised on and exploited,” he concludes.