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Today’s trash is tomorrow’s treasure?
I read with interest the concerns reported on in ‘Sherds’ (CA 431) about the proposed construction of a windfarm in Brontë country, and its potential impact on wildlife and heritage. However, I had to smile when I read on the very next page that many people are now concerned with the preservation and celebration of power station cooling towers! I can’t help but wonder whether, 50 years from now, CA will open an article with words like: ‘Reviled when they were first constructed, wind turbines are now admired for their gracious curves and sculptural presence, just as they are about to disappear from the landscape.’
Today’s ugly blight might very well be tomorrow’s heritage. While we need to be careful about destroying evidence and artefacts of the past, we must also resist the idea that anything old is intrinsically interesting and worthy of preservation, and that anything new is innately destructive. Fortunately, as F Scott Fitzgerald pointed out, we humans are renowned for our ability to hold two contradictory ideas in our heads at the same time!
David Francis, Ivanhoe East, Australia
Money missing for monuments
Chris Catling (‘Sherds’, CA 433) has drawn our attention to Lisa Nandy’s ‘bumper £1.5 billion package to restore national pride’. His account lists ‘churches, chapels, libraries, archives, and museums’. Conspicuously missing are ancient monuments. Care of these sites has long been the Cinderella of our cultural heritage. Visitors can see the effect of years of neglect at monuments in the care of both national and local bodies. The reason is understandable – the squeeze on public finances – but at the same time tourism is one of the UK’s biggest money earners. Surely it is time for those in authority to appreciate that our visitors want to see well-cared-for monuments.
David J Breeze, Edinburgh
Edible archaeology
It is now 50 years since the National Trust employed its first professional archaeologist, Dr David Thackray. He was employed as a project archaeologist at Stourhead in September 1975, at the urging of Phyllis Ireland, the NT’s Archaeological Secretary (a largely voluntary role). David would go on to be our first Head of Archaeology, serving in that role until his retirement in 2012, shaping the archaeological profession in the organisation. This cake is from his retirement party, held at the Chedworth Roman Villa.
Under David’s tenure, the archaeological ranks swelled, with the appointment of an assistant and then (initially) four field officers, charged with creating basic archaeological surveys of every property. The plan was that they would ‘migrate’ from one region to another until all were covered – but soon they proved too valuable to let go! More appointments followed, until all regions and countries had their own archaeological adviser, alongside many project and property posts. At the ‘high-water mark’ there were 27 archaeologists in post.
Mark Newman, National Trust
CA ONLINE: What you shared with us this month
James Elliott @Paleoimaging
Settling down for a day of CALive26. Some great talks lined up. Marvellous venue at UCL and helpful staff. @CurrentArchaeo @ucl
Peter Savin @pete_savin
So proud to be part of the Uncovering Roman Carlisle team as we won the award for research project of the year at @CurrentArchaeo Live today #Carlisle #Archaeology
Durham University @durham_uni
Readers of @CurrentArchaeo have voted to make the Melsonby Hoard Iron Age find its ‘Rescue Project of the Year’. This major find was excavated by our archaeologists with support from @britishmuseum and funding from @HistoricEngland
Write to us at: CA Letters, Current Publishing, Office 120, 295 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4HH, or by email to: letters@archaeology.co.ukFor publication: 300 words max; letters may be edited.
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