HW/OFF: Solstice in Stonehenge

[Rob Stuckey]

>
> Hi folks,
>
> I have a nice video tape with HW in Stonehenge in 1984 (that's the HW
> connection ;), but what I'd like to know is about the festival itself
> and the story how it was banned. Maybe someone here remembers these
> events, or maybe someone knows some place in the web where I can read
> about it?
>
> Yuri
>

  The National Trust (a semi-government body who owns much of Britain's
 ancient buildings) declared one day ('85 I think) that Stonehenge was
 being damaged by the annual convergeance of hippies on the site and
 so they banned the festival.
  When the organisers tried to run the festival anyway the police
 attacked convoys of travellers making their way there. This led
 to the infamous 'Battle of the Beanfield' in which trucks and coaches
 (the traveller's homes) were smashed up by police and travellers
 were arrested and/or beaten up.
  From the next year onwards there has been a 3-mile exclusion zone
 around the site during the solstice in which anyone who looks like
 they might be trying to get to a festival can be turned back or
 arrested if they are persistant.
  If you wear a big white sheet and a pointy hat they might let in
 as a druid, but don't expect any bands!!

    bye - Rob