West Penwith heath project

Cornwall 51

Image by thesweetcheat

thesweetcheat Jan 27, 2009 19:31:54

Apologies if this is already known to people on here, but I have just come across a news story about plans to erect fences/hedges across parts of the open moorland in West Penwith (Tregeseal/Carn Kenidjack and Lanyon/Boskednan areas in particular) to allow the introduction of cattle to areas where there are prehistoric sites. As someone who spends most of my leave in West Penwith, this strikes me as an appalling idea. The cattle pose a threat to the monuments, as to a cow standing-stone = rubbing post not to mention the erosion/mud-bath potential. They also pose a threat to our access to the sites.

Cornwall CC together with the Heath Project have produced a leaflet called "Managing Archaeology and Historic Landscapes on West Cornwall's Rough Ground", which contains the following statement:

"Paths and tracks which pass over, or
close to, archaeological remains may
present a risk and may need to be
rerouted. Care is needed so that new
routes do not themselves affect sites or
features."

A website called "Save Penwith Moors" shows photos of newly erected barbed wire fences in the areas.

Links are contained in the News item:

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/72293/news/lands_end_peninsula.html

Dunno if I'm worrying unnecessarily, but this looks like a disaster in the making. Any thoughts anyone?

baza Jan 27, 2009 20:17:19

Replying to thesweetcheat

This has been discussed on here before:

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/forum/?thread=44518

and doesn't seem to be a problem.

craig weatherhill Nov 6, 2013 15:45:36

Replying to thesweetcheat

5 years into the West Penwith HEATH/HLS Project, and it has been a disaster. No less than 13 recorded incidents of cattle damage to the scheduled Tregeseal stone circle (and, believe me, the breed they've put out there - longhorns with a 3-foor raking hornspan); a scheduled holed stone knocked down, broken; now "repaired" and re-erected wrongly; fragile field systems threatend by concentrated cloven hoof activity; the world-famous Men-an-Tol now under threat, an that's now being used as a rubbing post, the paths are poached to hell and the area around the stones are now awash with dung. Neither Natural 'England' nor 'English' Heritage seem to give a damn.

No fences have been torn down or cut by Save Penwith Moors, who vow to fight within the law, but we have secured the removal, through official enforcement of some which were illegally erected. NE and its close partners have broken several laws in imposing this scheme and their "Restoring the Sea of Heather" has actually resulted in the creation of new agricultural grassland from moorland! Visitors to Carn Kenidjack have fallen off by an alarming 70% since the scheme was initiated, with detrimental knock-on effect to the local economy. Gates are dangerous, have been condemned as such by the British Horse Society and there have been a number of equestrian accidents caused by them, one cutting a horse's leg open to the bone. Remedial action by NE? Nil.

Save Penwith Moors, in a bid to control what's going on against the wishes of local people and local elected bodies, and force full public consultation, have now secured the re-registration of 215ha of moorland as Registered Common Land.