The north-east option for building a 3rd runway at Heathrow. I have added the cursus as red stripe with the surviving section in purple. This could leave the cursus alone, although it’s not clear what additional supporting infrastructure would be built around the airport and where that would go. This option is unpopular because it involves bulldozing an ancient village.
The north-west option for building a 3rd runway at Heathrow. I have added the cursus as the red stripe, with the surviving section in purple. This would destroy the last section of the Cursus. It seems to be the preferred option among the technocrats, although HM Government are kicking the whole issue into the long grass. It would involve demolishing and rebuilding the M25 motorway, which is unlikely to go down well with the motoring lobby.
Sketch of the group of barrows at the SSE end of this visible section of the cursus.
The barrows at the SSE end of the visible section of cursus, looking at 45 degrees to the line of the cursus, with lower sun showing the bank around the largest one.
From the NNW end of the visible section, looking SSE along the cursus.
From aforementioned vantage point, looking SSE. The cursus would have emerged from trees on the right, crossed (if it was there?) the Wraysbury river (which, at least now, is perfectly wade-able), and headed off across the boggy ground, disappearing below the distant hump of Terminal 5 and then across the airport grounds behind that, under the South Perimeter Road and end up in the middle of Stanwell.
Past the northern end of the visible cursus, old gravel pit spoils and an ex-landfill provide a vantage point. Here, to the NNW. The cursus would emerge from the trees on the left, cross where the M25 is now, and end in the trees which make the SW corner of the M25-M4 junction in the background.
A collection of 5 round barrows arranged in a crescent from largest (which has a henge-like bank around it, but no discernible ditch) to smallest (foreground). These butt right up against the cursus. The tallest is perhaps 80cm above the surrounding ground level. There’s no obvious signs of Victorian vicars having had a go with a pickaxe.
Where the more southerly of two paths chops through the cursus, looking NNW.
This is the only remaining section of the cursus that once stretched from the village of Stanwell to the M4-M25 junction. It is the straight line from south-southeast to north-northwest. Round barrows can also be seen next to the southern end of this section (51°29’03.6"N 0°29’41.4"W). The more I look at this satellite photo, the more I start to wonder if other bumps are equally ancient, like oval shapes centered on 51°29’08.2"N 0°29’39.9"W and 51°29’09.9"N 0°29’33.5"W, or two circular shapes at 51°29’09.7"N 0°29’28.7"W.
Sadly, the chosen runway location is confirmed to be the option that goes over the only remaining section of cursus. bbc.co.uk/news/business-48668001
Details of excavations prior to building T5, which covers part of the cursus.
A short piece on the cursus at Stanwell by John Lewis.
