The Stonehenge Manifesto
Inspired by the original ‘Stonehenge campaign based @ Torriano Avenue & formed in Aug 2011 this current campaign emerged from the new age thinkers, travellers, Rasta rebels, & acid evangelists of the Om hse house community squat in Stockwell, South London.
The campaign exists to raise awareness, lobby, and protest, attend meetings, maintain links with interested parties and re-establish 'the people’s free festival @ or near Stonehenge. We produce a free quarterly newsletter & an annual summer solstice info/ helpline to advise & direct folk to the nearest free festival site from Stonehenge at the time of summer solstice.
The festival campaign would like to thank you for your continued support. 2017 - 2022 saw the fruition of five years of FREE FESTIVAL SITE'S established near Stonehenge at the time of summer solstice - long may it continue
We meet @ the equinox & winter solstice gatherings @ Stonehenge -the campaign provides info, welfare, site clearance, a roots reggae sound system, plus free live bands.
Summer solstice June 2017 saw a successful free festival gathering established opposite the sacred Woodhenge site & only 2 miles from Stonehenge - the first time amplified music, a stage & live bands had appeared near the stones since 1988.
There were no hassles from the police, no arrests, the site was left clean, & everybody left on time. In the aftermath there were no complaints either from the local community or the authorities - and all this after the campaign had worked long & hard preparing & submitting an entertainment license application that was rejected for the same Woodhenge site in 2015. Proof all along that we're capable & responsible enough to maintain & supervise a safe & friendly environment for all @ summer solstice.
Stonehenge custodians English heritage, with whom we meet regularly, claim they have no land available for a festival site & promote the Stonehenge landscape as inappropriate for amplified music - in 2014 the campaign championed & influenced the setting up of 'sangers' acoustic stage in the 'monument field. The first stage to appear @ the summer solstice celebrations @ Stonehenge since the enforced demise of the original free festival held between 1974 - 1985 - although at present & for the foreseeable future, doesn't include a P.A. system or amplified music.
The campaign has led the way when it comes to locating & earmarking possible suitable sites near the stones, as well as contacting private landowners who might be sympathetic to our needs. the campaign recently celebrated '5 years of subversion & organization @ Stonehenge' http://bit.ly/sfc5bash one of a number of fundraising benefit gigs that help promote bands & acts loyal to highlighting the campaign over the years - 'Stonehenge, a celebration is a double ltd edition fundraising CD available via the campaign w-site - press release @ www.efestivals.co.uk/news/15/150409e.shtml - press officer: c.j stone - campaign info & annual summer solstice helpline: 079854 10448 - email: [email protected]
Background
the STONEHENGE FESTIVAL CAMPAIGN lobbies, protests, attends meetings, and produces a free Quarterly newsletter - working on both fronts, our ultimate aim: a legal free festival site at or near Stonehenge
We meet at the EQUINOX & SOLSTICE gatherings @ Stonehenge, where we provide Info, an annual summer solstice info helpline, Welfare, site clearance, ROOTS REGGAE & DUB sounds from our DUB BUS KREW, plus FREE live bands
Since 2012 the campaign has lobbied m.p's, M.O.D, archaeologists, private landowners, the National Trust, whose land the original festival was held on, and _Stonehenge custodians English Heritage - with whom we meet regularly supporting and negotiating access inside the stones - along with other interested parties.
Financially we rely on donations but largely support ourselves - raising money by putting on benefit gigs, fundraising raffles, and producing campaign merchandise.
The campaign represents and has the support of travellers old and new. Festival folk, the pagan community, along with the main druid orders that steward the equinox and solstice celebrations each year
Our main aim: is to locate and establish an authorised festival campsite at or near Stonehenge at the time of summer solstice to help preserve and relieve pressure on the ancient site. Many people, the campaign included, revere the Stonehenge landscape as a place of sanctity and worship. We firmly believe a separate free festival site would help balance out the needs of all and restore dignity to the site at summer solstice. Stonehenge plays an important part in many people's lives. The t. campaign's manifesto, in the spirit of the original free festival movement is D.I.Y 1!
Current solstice celebrations & gatherings at both Stonehenge and Avebury Ridgeway are proof that we can gather peacefully outside of the authorities, and in particular English Heritage, who's draconian policies have never, and should have included, the provision of a festival site, free or otherwise. Wiltshire council, at the behest of the N.T are determined to put a stop to these harmless free gatherings
Each June the campaign provides an INFO HELPLINE relaying and sharing up to date info on the whereabouts of the largest free gatherings within the vicinity of Stonehenge outside of E.H's sterile 'Solstice Car Park'. Many people within the Stonehenge community are disillusioned with E.H's management of the site - the introduction in 2016 of a vehicle parking charge at summer solstice are unnecessary and break a tradition of THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF FREE ACCESS, and are specifically aimed at cutting numbers attending.
In 2013, after some initial resistance, the festival campaign successfully negotiated with the M.O.D a possible free festival site at Barton Stacey - off the A303 near Andover. Unfortunately, and although some twenty miles away from the stones, the site remains an option open to the campaign.
In 2015 the campaign submitted an entertainment license application for a free summer solstice gathering at WOODHENGE - only two miles from Stonehenge. This would have provided an authorised opportunity for amplified music, stalls, workshops, and some badly needed shelter - all currently denied by E.H at the annual summer solstice access at Stonehenge. Unfortunately, the main objectors were Wiltshire police, on the grounds that they would be already busy managing EH’s Managed Access at Stonehenge.
They would however welcome a campaign event if it were at least 5 miles away!
We meet at the EQUINOX & SOLSTICE gatherings @ Stonehenge, where we provide Info, an annual summer solstice info helpline, Welfare, site clearance, ROOTS REGGAE & DUB sounds from our DUB BUS KREW, plus FREE live bands
Since 2012 the campaign has lobbied m.p's, M.O.D, archaeologists, private landowners, the National Trust, whose land the original festival was held on, and _Stonehenge custodians English Heritage - with whom we meet regularly supporting and negotiating access inside the stones - along with other interested parties.
Financially we rely on donations but largely support ourselves - raising money by putting on benefit gigs, fundraising raffles, and producing campaign merchandise.
The campaign represents and has the support of travellers old and new. Festival folk, the pagan community, along with the main druid orders that steward the equinox and solstice celebrations each year
Our main aim: is to locate and establish an authorised festival campsite at or near Stonehenge at the time of summer solstice to help preserve and relieve pressure on the ancient site. Many people, the campaign included, revere the Stonehenge landscape as a place of sanctity and worship. We firmly believe a separate free festival site would help balance out the needs of all and restore dignity to the site at summer solstice. Stonehenge plays an important part in many people's lives. The t. campaign's manifesto, in the spirit of the original free festival movement is D.I.Y 1!
Current solstice celebrations & gatherings at both Stonehenge and Avebury Ridgeway are proof that we can gather peacefully outside of the authorities, and in particular English Heritage, who's draconian policies have never, and should have included, the provision of a festival site, free or otherwise. Wiltshire council, at the behest of the N.T are determined to put a stop to these harmless free gatherings
Each June the campaign provides an INFO HELPLINE relaying and sharing up to date info on the whereabouts of the largest free gatherings within the vicinity of Stonehenge outside of E.H's sterile 'Solstice Car Park'. Many people within the Stonehenge community are disillusioned with E.H's management of the site - the introduction in 2016 of a vehicle parking charge at summer solstice are unnecessary and break a tradition of THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF FREE ACCESS, and are specifically aimed at cutting numbers attending.
In 2013, after some initial resistance, the festival campaign successfully negotiated with the M.O.D a possible free festival site at Barton Stacey - off the A303 near Andover. Unfortunately, and although some twenty miles away from the stones, the site remains an option open to the campaign.
In 2015 the campaign submitted an entertainment license application for a free summer solstice gathering at WOODHENGE - only two miles from Stonehenge. This would have provided an authorised opportunity for amplified music, stalls, workshops, and some badly needed shelter - all currently denied by E.H at the annual summer solstice access at Stonehenge. Unfortunately, the main objectors were Wiltshire police, on the grounds that they would be already busy managing EH’s Managed Access at Stonehenge.
They would however welcome a campaign event if it were at least 5 miles away!
Download a copy
| stonehenge_manifesto.doc |