Controversy is the spice of life, – or at least a spur to scholarship, and this issue of Current Archaeology is very controversial. Here we look at several major recent controversies from an entirely neutral standpoint, and try and present the differing points of view.
It was our Letters pages that first alerted us to the current disputes in Jersey, so we went over to investigate. The major and most interesting arguments concern Mount Orgueil Castle, otherwise known as Gorey Castle, one of the most picturesque of all castles in the British Isles. It is basically still complete, though inevitably in need of some fairly energetic conservation. This has inevitably pitched those in favour of strenuous conservation against the minimalists. More interestingly it has also pitched archaeologists against historians. Mont Orgueil was drastically changed in the Tudor period with the advent of gunpowder. How rapidly did the changes take place, and when? This is becoming a fascinating example of the fashionable inclusion policies, with the local historians producing an impressive range of academic papers.
But this is not all. Jersey is home to one of the greatest of all Neolithic tombs – La Hougue Bie, so large that is has a medieval chapel on top. How can this be made more attractive to visitors? In a new research campaign, the original entrance has been opened up, which meant removing the late Neolithic blocking. What has this revealed?
Another controversy has been taking place in Carlisle where major excavations on the Castle Green have revealed an armourer’s workshop within the Roman fort, with a cornucopia of military equipment. But why did the excavations take place? We unravel the story of how Carlisle is seeking to turn historical assets into modern benefits.
Finally Stonehenge. Christopher Chippendale and Ian Baxter, two of our leading authorities on Heritage Management, and in particular on Stonehenge, have become unhappy with the way official thinking has been heading on Stonehenge. Should we not think again about what visitors really want? They put forward some new ideas about the Stonehenge problem, – while we add a personal note of our own long-held beliefs about Stonehenge.
Finally, for something not controversial at all, we present a special supplement on the British Archaeological Awards. British Archaeology has much to celebrate, and this supplement, edited by Jenny Moore, tells the stories behind the winners.